Boavista vs Botafogo Prediction: Botafogo can't underestimate the opposition

Boavista and Botafogo meet in Round 3 of the Campeonato Carioca in the 20th match between the two sides. In 19 games, Botafogo has won ten, drawn five, and lost four times. The Glorioso is the Carioca leader, having won its first two games. Boavista lost its first and won its second in a dramatic victory over Volta Redonda.

The Verdão de Saquarema doesn't compete in any national league, so the Campeonato Carioca is the team's big chance to get noticed. Boavista has played two away games, losing 2-0 to Vasco da Gama in the opening match and beating Volta Redonda 3-2 in the last round. The winning goal came in the 98th minute through Mateus Ludke. The team coached by Portuguese Filipe Cândido will want to make the Glorioso's task as difficult as possible and try to steal points from the Carioca leader. The clash is eagerly anticipated in Saquarema, a small town 100 km from Rio de Janeiro.

The Lone Star team played with many subs in the match against Bangu but still had no trouble beating the opponent 2-0. Tiago Nunes will likely bring back some of Botafogo's best-known faces to his starting line-up. The start to the Carioca is promising, with two wins in the first two games, although both were at home. The Glorioso leads the standings as the only team with a 100% winning record. The side will now look for a third win in a row, the first away from home.

Botafogo has made a promising start to the competition and wants to win to stay in the lead. The top four teams qualify for the semi-finals, but only the winner of the regular phase wins the Guanabara Cup. A third straight triumph would be very motivating for the Glorioso. Boavista's first home game will be against an honorable visitor. The players and fans are hoping to surprise Botafogo, even though they know they'll have a tough time. I'm backing Botafogo to win with a maximum of four goals scored in the match, which could even include a Boavista goal.