Flamengo vs Corinthians
FreeToday’s featured game is the Serie A encounter in Brazil between Flamengo and Corinthians. Hosts Flamengo are finally playing well as the season draws to a close and yet Corinthians are not playing well despite having had a very good campaign and it’s ironically coming at the one time that they really need to be playing well so we should see an interesting game tonight.
As I’ve mentioned before, Flamengo are one of the few sides that are playing well as Serie A gradually comes to a stop. Flamengo are actually unbeaten in six consecutive games now as they continue to push to get away from the relegation zone although they never seem to get far enough away from it to take their foot off the gas. They claimed an invaluable 1-1 draw at a very difficult Vasco da Gama last match so my respect again goes to this driven Flamengo side. The only side to win at Flamengo in their last eleven games was in-form Palmeiras so they’re not an easy side to play at home. They’ve won their last two games consecutively at home with their most recent win coming in a 3-0 demolition of Copa Libertadores holders Internacional in a one-sided affair as Flamengo yet again demonstrated their potential. Flamengo have beaten Corinthians at home for four consecutive seasons now and although I’d be quick to point out that Corinthians have arguably their strongest squad in years, I still think Flamengo are capable of doing the business here. Flamengo are still just four points clear of the relegation zone so simply cannot afford to slip up and to their credit, I’ve not seen them play better football all season long than they are now. Striker Deivid is in good form and will no doubt be keen to prove a point against one of his former clubs so all in all, I feel Flamengo have a good shout here.
Corinthians enter this game after finally having ended their run of eleven games without a victory by beating bogey side Palmeiras 1-0 in the local derby. Their display wasn’t great but fortune finally sided with the third-placed team. Corinthians have had great problems in taking points away from home this season, however, and it’s going to take more than a fortuitous 1-0 derby victory to convince me that they’re ready to win difficult games like this. Corinthians have only won three times out of fifteen on the road in Serie A this season because they don’t score anywhere near enough goals to a consistent threat. Corinthians have actually lost three out of their last four away games, drawing the other encounter, and have failed to score in their last two away games consecutively. Not only that but Corinthians have looked really poor whilst doing so. They’re not looking like the title contenders that they did earlier this season and Flamengo is not a side to visit when you’re not playing well and not scoring goals as I expect Corinthians to discover tonight.
This should be a good game, by all accounts, as neither side can afford to simply settle for the draw here. Flamengo are considerably worse off in the Serie A table in comparison to Corinthians but I’d say that the league table reflects Flamengo’s early season form rather than their recent displays. Flamengo have looked encouraged and potent of late and whereas there’s still a long way for them to go before they start returning to their title-challenging days, I still feel they’re more than good enough to give title challengers Corinthians a really rough ride tonight. Corinthians simply aren’t playing well enough to get a result here, in my opinion, so odds of 13/10 on them to do what they usually do here by losing the game seems a decent bet to me tonight.
Verdict: Flamengo to win at 13/10.
Wednesday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
No other singles appeal to me today guys, sorry!
Accumulator fodder:
FK Ventspils, Daugava Daugavpils, AFC Ajax Amsterdam, Twente Enschede, FC Utrecht, PSV Eindhoven.
Recommended bets:
PSV Eindhoven, Twente Enschede, and FC Utrecht at evens.
As ever, if there any questions/explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
Copa Sudamericana:
Atletico Mineiro vs Palmeiras (4) 1-2, draw no bet
Goias vs Avai (6) 1-0
Australian A-League:
Newcastle Jets vs North Queensland Fury (5) 0-0
Austrian Bundesliga:
Salzburg vs Wacker Innsbruck (7) 2-0
Brazilian Serie A:
Flamengo vs Corinthians (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Ecuadorian Primera A:
Liga de Quito vs Deportivo Quito (5) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
English League Cup:
Newcastle United vs Arsenal (5) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Aston Villa vs Burnley (7) 2-0
West Ham United vs Stoke City (4) under 2.5 goals
Finnish Veikkausliiga Play-Off:
Viikingit Helsinki vs JJK Jyvaskyla (5) 1-1
Latvian Virsliga:
FK Ventspils vs Jauniba (10) -1.5 handicap
Jelgava vs Blazma Rezekne (5) 2-2
Daugava Daugavpils vs Tranzits Ventspils (8) under 2.5 goals
FK Jurmala vs RFS/Olimps Riga (7) 2-0
Liepajas Metalurgs vs Skonto Riga (5) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Mexican Primera Division:
Estudiantes Tecos vs Necaxa (5) under 2.5 goals
Jaguares vs Morelia (6) 1-1
Puebla vs Santos Laguna (5) 1-1
Guadalajara vs Toluca (6) 1-0
Monterrey vs Cruz Azul (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Atlante vs Queretaro (5) 0-0
Dutch Eredivisie:
Groningen vs ADO Den Haag (7) 2-1
AFC Ajax Amsterdam vs Heerenveen (8) over 2.5 goals
De Graafschap vs AZ Alkmaar (4) 1-1
Willem II vs Twente Enschede (8) 1-2
Feyenoord Rotterdam vs VVV Venlo (6) over 2.5 goals
Vitesse Arnhem vs PSV Eindhoven (8) 1-2
FC Utrecht vs Excelsior Rotterdam (8) 2-0
Peruvian Primera Division:
Leon de Huanuco vs Sport Boys (7) 2-1
Inti Gas vs Total Chalaco (6) 1-0
Universidad San Martin vs Alianza Lima (7) 1-0
Melgar FBC vs Universidad Cesar Vallejo (4) 1-1
Juan Aurich vs Sport Huancayo (6) 2-1
Universitario Lima vs CNI (7) 1-0
Russian Premier League:
Dinamo Moscow vs CSKA Moscow (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Spartak Moscow vs Zenit St.Petersburg (6) 0-1
Slovenian Prva Liga:
Primorje vs Triglav (7) over 2.5 goals
Swedish Allsvenskan:
BK Hacken Goteborg vs Malmo (6) 1-2
Swiss Super League:
FC Zurich vs Luzern (6) over 2.5 goals
Venezuelan Primera Division:
Mineros de Guayana vs Real Esppor Club (5) 1-0
Enjoy your free betting tips!