Palmeiras are ready to back up their Flamengo triumph

10pm Thursday

Interim Palmeiras coach Alberto Valentim stopped the bleeding at the weekend with an overdue win and he can make it two in a row at home to struggling Sport Recife.

The Sao Paulo giants had gone three games without a win before Sunday's visit from Flamengo but a Deyverson brace earned the hosts a welcome 2-0 success.

They are still without defender Yerry Mina and frontman Miguel Borja – both were flying back to Sao Paulo on Wednesday after appearing for Colom­bia in a pair of inter­nationals in the Far East – and aren't at their free-flowing best.

But they can seal a top-six finish – and book their place in next season's Copa Libertadores – and are hard to beat on home soil.
Recife, in contrast, are seriously struggling.

They have been in or near the relegation places all season while trying to compete in the Copa Sudamericana – they went out at the quarter-final stage two weeks ago.

A trip to bottom club Goianiense on Sunday offered them the chance to get out of the bottom four, but they lost 2-0 despite bossing the game.

Osvaldo, one of their sparkier performers in Goiania, is suspended after picking up a yellow card in stoppage time while striker Diego Souza is flying back from London having been on tour with the Selecao.

They have won only one of their last 17 in Serie A and are running out of time in their survival fight.

Recommendation
Palmeiras & under 3.5 goals
1pt 13-10 Betway, Coral, Ladbrokes

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