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

Santos will put their three-match unbeaten run on the line on Wednesday when they host Sport Recife at Estadio Urbano Caldeira.

Peixe remained unbeaten at home over the weekend, defeating Atletico Mineiro 2-0, while Leao went scoreless for the second time in four games, drawing 0-0 with Cuiaba.

Match preview

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Santos did themselves a huge favour this past weekend, scoring two second-half goals to beat Atletico Mineiro 2-0 as they moved up to sixth in the table with less than three points separating them from first place Red Bull Bragantino.

Fernando Diniz has seen his side recover nicely from their opening match defeat to Bahia 3-0, going pointless in only one of their league fixtures since then.

Following their eighth-place finish last season, Santos are currently in a position to claim a qualifying spot for the 2022 Copa Libertadores, having missed out on the competition last season.

This team have not captured the Serie A since 2004, but there is reason for optimism that things might change this season, given they are off to their best start to a domestic campaign since 2019 when they finished second.

Their victory on Sunday was a significant morale boost to this team as it was the first time they had beaten a side currently sitting in the top half of the league table.

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After capturing their first win of the season in the middle of June, Recife have suffered a series of setbacks, narrowly losing to Juventude and then to Corinthians, before a dull 0-0 draw against Cuiaba on Sunday.

Umberto Louzer and his side have failed to score in their last two road games and did not register a single shot on target versus Fortaleza, while hitting the target only twice against Juventude.

Leao have struggled offensively in the early stages of this campaign, failing to score in four matches and notching only four goals in total so far, the second-fewest among Brazilian teams in the top flight.

This team have flirted with disaster in Serie A, avoiding relegation last season by a single point, and are currently just a point above Sao Paulo and descent into the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie B.

Recife have not had the best of luck on Santos' home turf, with their only victory in league play coming in 2017, by a score of 1-0.

Team News

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For Santos, striker Raniel has an unknown injury, midfielder Sandry is still suffering the effects of a ruptured knee ligament, and Jobson has a cruciate ligament rupture.

Goalkeeper John has clean sheets in his last two home fixtures while leading goalscorer Marinho has two goals in his previous three games.

Recife will be without Leandro Barcia, who has not seen the field since a knee injury in December.

Goalkeeper Mailson picked up his second shutout of this campaign last weekend, both of which have come at home.

Santos possible starting lineup:

John; Para, Madson, Boza, Felipe; Pirani, Ivonei, Mota; Marinho, Guilherme, Jorge

Sport Recife possible starting lineup:

Mailson; Hayner, Chico, Sabino, Gabriel; Ronaldo, Marcao, Ricardinho, Everaldo; Trellez, Andre

We say: Santos 1-0 Sport Recife

Santos are at their best when playing at home, having gone unbeaten to this point and only conceding once in their opening home fixture to Ceara.

Recife have earned points at Estadio Urbano Caldeira on only four occasions in the league and have failed to score in six league fixtures.