Goiás vs Fortaleza Prediction: The home team doesn't want to go back to the Z4

Goiás spent practically the entire league in the relegation zone. The Esmeraldino left the Z4 after the important away win against Cruzeiro in Round 16. The victory was followed by a draw at home against Grêmio, which was enough to keep the Goiânia team out of the red zone. With another home game coming up, Goiás cannot afford to waste another match at their home stadium without a win, or they risk slipping back into the relegation places. Fortaleza has entered a negative run in the Brasileirão. The defeat to Cuiabá demoralized the team. It was their first home defeat, and it happened when Fortaleza was on the doorstep of the G4, the Libertadores zone. The Cearenses are already on three straight losses in the championship.

Bruno Santos' sending-off in the 47th minute of the match with Estudiantes was at the root of the 3-0 defeat in the Copa Sudamericana. Until the red card, the teams were level. In the Brasileirão, a late goal in the 93rd minute from André Henrique allowed Grêmio to draw at the Serrinha and took two precious points away from Goiás. Recent signing Matheus Babi scored against the Gaúchos on his debut. Goiás seems to have improved defensively, and that may explain the five points picked up in their last three league games. The three goals conceded in Argentina came with the team reduced to ten players. A win against Fortaleza would continue the recovery in the Brasileirão and give coach Armando Evangelista more peace of mind, having arrived at the club just over a month ago.

The Ceará side secured a precious 1-0 win in Paraguay against Libertad midweek. After a negative period, it was a welcomed result. In the Brasileirão 2023, a team that enters a positive or negative sequence of three or four games will likely change drastically its position in the table. That's what happened to the Leão do Pici, and now it will be looking for a recovery start at the Serrinha. The team conceded six goals in the last two league matches when in the first 15 rounds, they had conceded only 12 goals. Fortaleza has lost the balance and stability it showed in the Brasileirão, and coach Vojvoda has rallied the troops to get the team back to its usual level. The result achieved in Asunción could have been very important for Fortaleza.

It will not be easy for Fortaleza to win in Goiânia, although, in this Brasileirão, there is a lot of balance between the teams. Goiás has signed several players in this summer window and seems more capable. I will bet on a Double Chance for Goiás with a goal limit.