Criciúma vs Botafogo Prediction: Botafogo wants to reclaim the top spot

The Cariocas failed to hold the lead in the Brasileirão for more than one round. Botafogo struggled against Athletico-PR and only equalized in the last minute of the game. The Glorious extended its unbeaten run, so the team's confidence remains positive. Flamengo is the new leader with 21 points, but it will face rival Fluminense in the next round, so Botafogo, which has just one point less, hopes to regain first place.

The Tiger picked up three valuable points away at the hands of a direct competitor. A goal from Trauco from a direct free kick in the last seconds of the game earned a 2-1 win against Atlético Goiainiense. Criciúma is now in 14th place with nine points and has moved further away from the relegation zone. The Catarinenses still have two games in hand, giving them some peace of mind for now. The game with Botafogo has a high degree of difficulty, but in its previous home fixture, Criciúma caused problems for Bahia, one of the best teams in the Brasileirão.

The Lone Star team didn't have a good game against Athletico-PR. The strong support from the fans wasn't enough to push Botafogo to victory. The visitors played very confidently and neutralized the Cariocas' strengths, who struggled to find space to create goals. The Paranaenses didn't just defend and were always dangerous, playing direct football. At the start of the second half, Mastriani opened the scoring for Athletico after a mistake by Bastos. Botafogo couldn't react and continued to fail to break through the Hurricane's defense. But in the last minute, without anyone expecting it, Bastos scored with a header from a corner kick, making up for his earlier miss. Artur Jorge's men got at least a point and extended their unbeaten run to nine games, five of them in the Brasileirão.

Botafogo didn't play well against Athletico Paranaense but managed to avoid defeat at the very end, which is always a sign of strength and faith. It won't be easy to win in Criciúma, as the home team is motivated, but the Cariocas have already picked up ten points on the road. I'm, therefore, betting on Botafogo to win.