After reaching the cup quarter-finals in midweek, America Mineiro aim to improve their standing in the Campeonato Brasileiro when they host Bragantino on Sunday.
The mid-table teams meet at Estadio Independencia, where America have lost only once in the league this season; conceding just five goals.
Match preview
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On Thursday, America Mineiro sealed a place in the last eight of the Copa do Brasil for the second time in three years, as they won 2-0 at Botafogo to secure a crushing 5-0 aggregate victory.
That success at Estadio Nilton Santos was America's third win from four matches, but following defeat to Internacional last week, they sit 15th in the tightly-packed Serie A table.
Only three points from ninth place, but also with just goal difference separating them from the bottom four, Vagner Mancini's men have proved hard to beat on home soil, and are currently on a three-game run without conceding at Independencia.
Fourteen of their 18 points to date have been won at their Belo Horizonte headquarters, from where only Ceara have taken away all three points this term.
With a meagre tally of 12 goals, though, America are the Brasileiro's lowest scorers in the 2022 campaign - a problem that destroyed dreams of progressing in the Copa Libertadores earlier this year, when they crashed out at the group stage with just two points from six matches.
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Another side that fell at the Libertadores' first hurdle, Bragantino were beaten by America's Copa do Brasil victims a fortnight ago, but bounced back from that defeat to promoted Botafogo in spectacular style last weekend.
Coach Mauricio Barbieri was full of praise for his team, who ended a three-match winless run, as they dismantled Avai 4-0 at Nabizao - with all the goals arriving in a flood, following the 70th minute.
Finally earning just reward for their dominance, Braga saw strikes from Luan Candido, Alerrandro, Helinho and Bruno Praxedes seal maximum points from a game in which they peppered the goal with 37 attempts.
The Sao Paulo side had taken just a point from their previous three Serie A matches, so sit 11th in the table - a mere three points above this Sunday's opponents.
At an ambitious and upwardly mobile club, pre-season ambitions were along the lines of replicating last year's sixth-placed finish, so improving their modest away form of one win from seven league fixtures on the road is essential.
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Team News
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As chief playmaker Hyoran - currently on loan from America Mineiro - must undergo surgery for a fractured left hand, Bragantino boss Mauricio Barbieri will have to tinker with his team's creative sector on Sunday.
Young prospect Miguel is favourite to replace Braga's number 10, but the 19-year-old may have to beat off competition from Bruno Praxedes - the most expensive signing in the club's history - who scored against Avai.
Having participated directly in two of the four goals in that victory, Artur is set to feature in the visitors' front line from the start, following his recent return to form post-injury. The winger has racked up seven goals and the same number of assists in 27 games so far this season.
While midfielder Eric Ramires awaits confirmation of the length of his upcoming suspension - after his dismissal in the recent defeat to Botafogo - he is free to take part this weekend, before an expected verdict on Tuesday.
The hosts, meanwhile, could have both Wellington Paulista and Everaldo missing once again, due to muscular injuries, as their search for a striker to solve their goalscoring woes goes on.
With the transfer window now set to open, America are poised to firm up an interest in Salernitana striker Mikael, whose time in Italy is expected to come to an end.
America Mineiro possible starting lineup:
Cavichioli; Patric, Conti, Patrick, Marlon; Kal; Azevedo, Juninho, Ale, Azevedo; Henrique
Bragantino possible starting lineup:
Cleiton; Aderlan, Ortiz, Natan, Candido; Evangelista, Raul; Artur, Miguel, Helinho; Alerrandro
We say: America Mineiro 1-1 Bragantino
Undoubtedly boasting the better attacking options, Bragantino can break down America's resistance at some stage, but are also likely to concede themselves.
A low-scoring draw is perhaps the most obvious outcome, then, between two sides mired in Serie A's mid-table logjam.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
