Preview: Corinthians vs Vasco da Gama - prediction, team news, lineups

Corinthians and Vasco face each other this Sunday at the Neo Quimica Arena in a 13th-round Campeonato Brasileirao clash that brings together two of Brazilian football’s most storied clubs, who arrive in contrasting positions in the standings.

Corinthians are seeking a reaction to climb out of the relegation zone, while Vasco aim to sustain their recent improvement and push further up the table, with the fixture also marking their first meeting since the 2025 Copa do Brasil final played just a few months ago.

Match preview

Corinthians are enduring a difficult spell, with their current Brasileirao position reflecting that as they sit 17th in the relegation zone on 12 points from 12 matches, having managed just two wins alongside six draws and four defeats in a run that highlights the inconsistency of their early campaign.

In their most recent outing, Corinthians secured a 1-0 victory over Barra in the Copa do Brasil, a result that gives them an advantage but, given the narrow scoreline against technically inferior opposition, still leaves the tie open ahead of the second leg despite having the return fixture at home.

Prior to that, the club drew 0-0 with Vitoria in the Brasileirao and defeated Santa Fe 2-0 in the Copa Libertadores, and although the overall picture remains unconvincing, Corinthians maintain a clear head-to-head advantage over Vasco in recent meetings.

Across the last 15 encounters between the two sides, Corinthians have recorded 11 wins, three draws and just one defeat, most recently beating Vasco 2-1 in the Copa do Brasil final in December 2025 to secure the fourth title in the club’s history after drawing the first leg.

Despite their lowly league position, the Sao Paulo club are expected to enter the match as favourites, having won four of the last five meetings against Vasco and three of the last four home encounters against Sunday’s opponents.

© Iconsport / SUSA

Vasco, meanwhile, occupy a more comfortable position in the standings, sitting 10th with 16 points from 12 rounds, a mid-table spot that still carries uncertainty given the unpredictability of the division, with their record evenly balanced at four wins, four draws and four defeats.

They are level on points with Botafogo, who also have 16 but with a game in hand, yet Vasco arrive with positive momentum after winning their last two matches.

The first of those victories was a 2-0 Copa do Brasil win away at Paysandu, with both goals scored by Claudio Spinelli, while before that they came from behind to beat Sao Paulo 2-1 thanks to a penalty from Puma Rodriguez and a late winner from Andres Gomez.

Earlier results saw Vasco draw 1-1 with Remo and play out a goalless draw against Barracas Central on their Copa Sudamericana debut, and while recent performances suggest growing confidence, their head-to-head record against Corinthians remains firmly against them.

Corinthians Brasileiro form:

Vasco da Gama Brasileiro form:

Team News

© Imago

Corinthians continue to be without several key players, with goalkeeper Hugo Souza still recovering from a muscle injury and unavailable for selection.

Forward Memphis Depay remains sidelined with a thigh problem, while Kayke has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that could rule him out for the rest of the season, and Gui Negao, Charles, Joao Pedro Tchoca and Hugo are also unavailable.

For Vasco, manager Renato Gaucho benefits from the absence of new injury concerns, with the near-availability of his full squad contributing to the team’s recent improvement in form.

However, midfielder Jair remains out with an ACL injury and is not expected back until June, while Mateus Carvalho, dealing with a more serious version of the same issue, is unlikely to return until September.

Corinthians possible starting lineup:

Kaue; Milans, Paulista, Henrique, Bidu; Raniele, Bidon, Andre, Garro; Lingard, Alberto

Vasco da Gama possible starting lineup:

Jardim; Henrique, Saldivia, Renan, Cuiabano; Barros, Mendes, Tche Tche; Rojas, Gomez, David

We say: Corinthians 1-0 Vasco da Gama

Corinthians are expected to edge the contest in what is likely to be a low-scoring match, as they have scored fewer than 2.5 goals in 17 of their last 18 games, while Vasco have also struggled for attacking output, failing to score more than twice in five of their last six away fixtures.

Playing at home with strong support, Corinthians should be able to take the lead and manage the game from that point onward.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.