Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Brazilian Serie A match.
Hernán Crespo's early spell at São Paulo was close to impeccable until their elimination from the Copa do Brasil. Even in the absence of Lucas Moura and Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior, the squad appears well-positioned to get past Vitória in the upcoming round — the two clubs are clearly competing at very different levels.
São Paulo
Prior to the second-leg Copa do Brasil clash against Paranaense (a 0:2 defeat on penalties), São Paulo had strung together five consecutive victories across all competitions. In the early hours of Monday, the team overcame Internacional (2:1), despite registering only 0.45 xG and hitting the target a mere four times. With the cup campaign now behind them, the focus turns fully to the league, where the four-point deficit to the top four remains entirely manageable.
Vitória
For Vitória, the ambitions this season are of a different nature. A recent five-match unbeaten stretch (four draws and one win) is commendable, but the cushion above the relegation zone is only three points. In his first month at the helm, Fábio Carille has brought some order to the back line, yet the attack continues to falter — with just 16 goals scored, only two sides have managed fewer.
São Paulo vs Vitória Prediction
Since June 2017, São Paulo have won six straight head-to-head meetings with Vitória. Given the circumstances, we expect the squad to respond positively to their recent cup setback and capitalise on the opportunity to secure three points against an opponent struggling for consistency.
