Portuguesa vs Palmeiras Prediction: Palmeiras should win this postponed match

With qualification for the Paulistão quarter-finals confirmed, Palmeiras still has to secure first place in Group B, which can be guaranteed if it wins this Round 5 match against Portuguesa. The Paulistão group winners host the second-placed team in the quarter-finals, played in a single leg. So if Palmeiras wins, it will play at home in the quarter-finals against Ponte Preta or Água Santa, which are still battling for qualification.

The Lusa is in second place in Group A and is fighting, against all odds, to qualify for the quarter-finals. Although the team has just seven points and the group leader, Santos, has 22, the fact is that the poor performances of Santo André and especially Ituano are making Portuguesa dream. However, the team's record doesn't mean that the historic club is safe from relegation, as only three sides have fewer points than Portuguesa, two of which are opponents in the same group. The two lowest-scoring clubs out of all 16 teams in the Paulistão will drop a division. A draw against Palmeiras would be an excellent result for the Lusa.

The Verdão beat Mirassol 3-1 at home in the last round, but the game wasn't as easy as the result might suggest. Palmeiras was trailing 1-0 and scored the third goal in the 90th minute when Mirassol was pushing for a draw. Breno Lopes finally put the Palmeiras fans at ease with a quick counter-attack after a Zé Rafael assist. After this game against Portuguesa, the classic with São Paulo follows, so coach Abel Ferreira could manage the effort of some players.

The Colonial Classic, as it is known, puts Portuguesa, founded by Portuguese, and Palmeiras, founded by Italians, head-to-head. The Brazilian champion is the favorite for the match and has the extra motivation to ensure first place in its group if it wins. The Lusa is fighting simultaneously to qualify for the quarter-finals and to avoid relegation, something curious but possible in the Paulistão. I'm backing Palmeiras to win with a maximum of four goals in the match.