Tom Dunstan
Competition: Brazil Serie B
Market: Both teams to score – No
Odds: 7/10 @ BetUS
In what could prove to be a cagey affair on Saturday night, Guarani will welcome Operario to the Estadio Brinco de Ouro.
Starting with the hosts, while some in Guarani’s camp might have opened up the 2024 campaign with their sights set on mounting a genuine promotion charge, the Bugre have continued to show a string of extended issues. Last seen earlier in the week putting in another worrying performance as they slumped to a routine 3-0 drumming away at Mirassol, Umberto Louzer’s men sit rock-bottom of the table and are desperately seeking some kind of boost. Although the Greens might have secured a much-welcomed 2-0 victory against Botofago SP on May 11th, that is the only Serie B win that Guarani have claimed from any of their first eight second-tier matchups. Signing off May with an uneventful 0-0 stalemate at home against Paysandu, Saturday’s hosts have also failed to find any kind of clinical edge in the final third. It should be noted, Louzer’s side have bagged just a single goal in any of their previous four Serie B appearances.
As for the visitors, drawing a line under their recent blip earlier in the week as they secured a gritty 1-0 victory at home against Amazonas, Operario will be looking to use that performance as a platform to build on. While Rafael Guanaes’ side might have only made their Serie B return this season, the Parana-based outfit have lost just a pair of their first eight appearances and have gained a reputation for their rugged approach under the former Tombense boss. Opening the 2024 campaign with back-to-back victories against Avai and Ituano, some in Operario’s camp could be smelling the chance to make another statement here. Battling it out in the top-half of the table, Saturday’s guests will also be excited by their continued success at the back. Including a 0-0 stalemate away at Brusque last month, it should be highlighted, Guanaes’ men have recorded a clean sheet in three of their previous four second-tier showdowns.
Bet: Both teams *not* to score at Guarani vs Operario 7/10 for Saturday’s Brazil Serie B battle @ BetUS