Bahia vs Fortaleza Prediction: The two Nordeste teams meet in Salvador

Two well-known sides will meet for the third time this season. In the Copa do Nordeste, a competition that includes teams from this region of Brazil, the Cearenses beat the Baianos 3-0 at the Arena Fonte Nova. In Round 9 of the Brasileirão, Bahia drew 0-0 in Fortaleza. The clubs fight for different goals, but an exciting and balanced contest is anticipated.

With its precious victory in the last round against Internacional, Bahia moved up two places, overtaking Cruzeiro and Santos, and now sits in 14th place with 31 points. It was the second win in a row for Rogério Ceni's team, with the only goal of the match coming from Gabriel Teixeira. In the last ten rounds ranking, Bahia is in sixth place. Despite the improvement, if the Baianos don't beat Fortaleza, they could well slip back into the Z4, as there are two teams in a relegation position with 30 points. In the next round, the Tricolor travels to Belo Horizonte to face Cruzeiro in a clash with a direct competitor. It would be important for Bahia to play against the Fox outside the relegation zone.

The Lion of Pici couldn't resist the São Januário cauldron, losing 1-0 against Vasco da Gama. The former French international Dimitri Payet scored his first goal in a Cruzmaltino shirt sending the Vasco fans wild. The Cearenses tried to get at least an equalizer but missed a couple of good chances. Fortaleza dropped to eighth place by being overtaken by Atlético Mineiro and Athletico Paranaense, which beat Palmeiras and Grêmio away, respectively. Vojvoda's team will try to put right what it did poorly in Rio de Janeiro and will fight for a good result in Salvador.

I'd be surprised if Fortaleza loses again in this round. The Lion hosts leader Botafogo in a few days, and if it doesn't pick up a point against Bahia, it runs the serious risk of losing three games in a row. The Cearenses won 3-0 at the Arena Fonte Nova in the Copa do Nordeste this season, so I believe they can get a positive result again in Salvador. I'm taking a Double Chance on Fortaleza.