Ponte Preta V Fluminense
Today we’re off to South America or, more precisely Brazil, to look at the Campeonato Série A, which to the uninitiated is the Brazilian top flight. The game in question is between Ponte Preta and Fluminense, which will signify the halfway point in the season for both these teams.
Ponte Preta, or ‘Black Bridge’ as the club’s name translates into English, are a team from Sao Paolo State who currently reside in mid-table, which is indeed where they finished last season. Rio-based Fluminense, who are perhaps slightly better known to international audiences are of course one of the higher-profile teams in Brazil, are also having a rather disappointing season which sees the club residing in mid-table, albeit five places higher than their rivals in this game. That information is misleading, however, as only three points separates the two. And interestingly enough, that’s the margin that separated the two teams at the end of last season; on that occasion it was Ponte Preta that finished ahead of Fluminense, in eighth and thirteenth respectively.
Looking at games going back over the last couple of years, in the home matches the host team has come out on top on the last four occasions. And indeed casting our eyes back, Ponte Preta haven’t been beaten at home by Fluminense for five years now, so favouring the home team here does seem the right thing to do.
And with further good reason too as Ponte Preta have been impressive at the Estádio Moisés Lucarelli to date, winning five of their eight matches so far, scoring 14 and conceding only seven in those games – so they score exactly twice as many as they concede at home. Looking at Fluminense’s away form, it has been decent too, and amazingly they have scored in every away game so far. Once again it is vital to use these numbers to inform our betting this time.
Going into the match odds, Ponte Preta are good value to back in this game; they are currently 2.15 to win at home with Marathonbet. As previously stated, Fluminense have scored in every away game this season, and Ponte Preta have a good home record, scoring 14 in eight matches to date, so backing ‘Yes’ in Both Teams to Score, currently at odds of 2.00 with 10bet, also seems sensible. Finally, using the same statistics to inform us, going over 2.5 goals at best odds of 2.25 with 10bet is also recommended.
Ponte Preta V Fluminense may be a mid-table clash, but it promises Brazilian flair and no little prospect of betting success.