Fluminense vs Vasco da Gama Prediction: Fluminense arrives to the classic under pressure to win

After two rounds of the Brasileirão, Fluminense hasn't won yet. After drawing at home to RB Bragantino in its opening game, a defeat followed in Salvador against Bahia. It's not the league start the fans were hoping for, and now the team comes to the Giant's Classic under pressure to win. Vasco also lost its last match but beat Grêmio in Round 1, so it's more relaxed. In the 332 meetings, Fluminense has won 110 games, Vasco da Gama 121, and the two sides have tied 101 times.

The Tricolor started practically winning at the Arena Fonte Nova with a goal from Cano with just four minutes played. The heavy rain in Salvador flooded the pitch, and the ball stopped rolling. After 16 minutes, the referee decided to stop the game. It wasn't until an hour later that the match resumed, and from then on, Bahia was the better team deserving the victory. Fluminense couldn't find a suitable replacement for central defender Nino, who left for Zenit St. Petersburg, and Fernando Diniz moved Martinelli from midfield to defense. In its last seven matches, including the Campeonato Carioca and Copa Libertadores, Fluminense has only won once, against Colo-Colo at home. If the team doesn't win again, the pressure will increase, and the situation will become more tense.

The Cruzmaltino lost in Bragança Paulista against Red Bull but played a good game. The Cariocas got off to a bad start, conceding a goal after just 7 minutes, but Ramón Díaz's team didn't let up and equalized in the second half through Vegetti in the 63rd minute. Faced with a confident Bragantino side, Vasco conceded the second goal in the 78th minute and ended up losing despite finishing with 60% possession. In the classic against Fluminense, the Hill's Giant will be looking for points by taking advantage of its rival's unrest.

It's a pivotal game for Fluminense. With just one point from two matches, the team needs to win, or it'll find itself at the bottom of the table. The Tricolor's defense has already conceded four goals in the first two rounds, and Vasco can exploit this weakness. I'm betting on a Double Chance in favor of Fluminense, with a minimum of two goals scored in the game. Any team can win the classic, but I expect Fluminense will not lose.