Flamengo vs Criciúma Prediction: The Cariocas haven't won their last two games

It will be Flamengo's third consecutive game as host. The game against Internacional in Porto Alegre was postponed because it clashed with the dates of the Copa Sudamericana playoff in which the Gaúchos are involved. However, Flamengo will not be hosting Criciúma at the Maracanã. The match will take place in Brasilia for commercial reasons, something that sometimes happens in the Brasileirão. Flamengo drew 1-1 with Cuiabá and lost 2-1 to Fortaleza in its last two meetings.

The Scarlet-Black can once again count on the four Uruguayan players who participated in the Copa América. Arrascaeta, De la Cruz, Viña and Varela are at Tite's disposal. Pulgar had already returned to the club after Chile's early exit from the South American competition. Everton Cebolinha has also recovered from his injury, so the number of options for the veteran coach has increased considerably. With Botafogo's win over Palmeiras, Flamengo is now five points behind its Rio de Janeiro rival, which is in first place, and remains two points behind champion Palmeiras. However, Flamengo has a game in hand on Inter, so the Cariocas could move up to second if they win at the Beira-Rio. With Criciúma, only victory matters. It would be terrible to extend the winless streak to three games.

The Tiger lost 2-1 to Corinthians at the Neo Química Arena after being ahead at half-time with a goal from Claudinho. Criciúma came close to making it 2-0 twice at the start of the second half, but Hugo Souza, the Corinthians goalkeeper, made two excellent saves. Shortly afterward, the Catarinenses conceded two goals in eight minutes, and the home team controlled the game after the lead. Criciúma is in 14th place with 17 points and two games in hand. Tencati's team is one position above the relegation zone but hasn't won in three games, alarming its fans. Probably, the Tiger won't win in this round yet unless there's a big surprise.

Flamengo must win after two games without success as a host. The Cariocas will not receive Criciúma at the Maracanã but in Brasília, although the responsibility is the same. As Criciúma hasn't won in three games, it could be the ideal opponent for the Mengão. I'm backing Flamengo to win with a maximum of four goals scored in the match to increase the odds.