Preview: Sport Recife vs. Atletico Goianiense - prediction, team news, lineups

Brasileiro strugglers Sport Recife will continue their battle against relegation when they host Atletico Goianiense on Sunday.

Leao are 18th in the table with nine games left to play, while Dragao are ninth and pursuing a Copa Libertadores spot.

Match preview

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Following promotion from the second tier in 2019, Sport Recife survived relegation by just one point last year but have found themselves in deep trouble for all of this campaign.

Gustavo Florentin's side were comfortably beaten 3-0 by high-flying Red Bull Bragantino on Thursday, leaving them five points adrift of safety.

Leao did appear to be turning their form around at the start of October with three consecutive wins, but they have now picked up just one point from their last four games.

Sport are unbeaten in their last three matches at Ilha do Retiro, but goals have been hard to come by in Pernambuco this season, with Sport scoring just six but only conceding eight on home turf in 14 matches.

Leao are the Brasileiro's lowest scorers in 2021 with just 15 goals to their name, with only three players finding the net more than once.

Atletico Goianiense travel to the east coast with the second-best defence in the league, having conceded just 20 goals this season; they have four clean sheets in their last seven games.

Eduardo Souza is the club's current interim manager following Eduardo Barroca's departure at the end of September and he has taken 10 points from a possible 18.

Dragao secured back-to-back wins for the first time since June with a 2-0 victory over Gremio earlier this week and they will now be targeting three consecutive league wins for the first time this season.

Atletico head into the weekend just four points off a Copa Libertadores spot, and earning a place among South America's elite would be a superb achievement considering they were promoted alongside Sport Recife two years ago.

Dragao are unbeaten in their last six matches against Sport, with this season's reverse fixture ending 1-1 in July.

Team News

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Sport Recife can welcome back captain Marcao and centre-back Sabino after the pair were suspended against Red Bull Bragantino.

Leandro Barcia remains out injured, so Paulinho and Everton Felipe will battle for the starting spot on the right wing.

Mikael is Sport's top scorer this season with just three goals, but he has not netted in his last five matches.

Willian Maranhao's 90th-minute yellow card in Atletico Goianiense's win over Gremio means that he is banned for this match.

Eduardo Souza will have Dudu and Matheus Barbosa available though, with the pair having recovered from injuries.

No goalkeeper in the Brasileiro has kept more clean sheets than Fernando Miguel (12) this season.

Sport Recife possible starting lineup:
Mailson; Ewerthon, Thyere, Sabino, Sander; Marcao, Welison; Paulinho, Gustavo, Juba; Mikael

Atletico Goianiense possible starting lineup:
Miguel; Dudu, Wanderson, Eder, Carius; Freitas, Barbosa; Janderson, Luis, Ronald; Roberto

We say: Sport Recife 0-1 Atletico Goianiense

Both of these teams tend to be involved in low-scoring games and with Sport's impotent attack coming up against Atletico's sturdy defence, we think this match will be decided by just one goal from the visitors.