Gremio out to trim Botafogo lead to 4

Gremio out to trim

Botafogo lead to 4

TAB INJECTS OVER R1 MILLION INTO ITS WEEKEND POOLS!

By Mark Gleeson

One-third of Brazil’s Serie A season has been completed, leaving plenty of action to come as Botafogo continue their surprise domination of the early stages of the campaign.

The Rio de Janeiro club have a seven-point lead and on Sunday are away to second-placed Gremio, who will go all out to reduce the margin.

Botafogo are almost 120 years old and one of the institutions of Brazilian football, but without a league title since 1995. Two years ago they were down in the second division (Serie B), but made their way back up immediately and are now on a run of 11 victories in 13 matches.

Gremio, from Porto Alegre, were also down in the second division two seasons ago and are bouncing back with some aplomb. They have scored 13 goals in winning their last four home games in a row and Botafogo will find it tough to shake them off.

First taking on second is not the only high-profile match in Brazil this weekend, when third-placed Flamengo travel to reigning champions Palmeiras who are in fourth.

Flamengo are only two points ahead of the defending champions, but in recent years have got the better of Palmeiras in Serie A clashes. Palmeiras are looking for their first league win in encounters between the two clubs since November 2017 and Flamengo have outscored Palmeiras 16-6 during that 10-match unbeaten streak in league matches.

But to keep it in perspective Palmeiras did beat Flamengo 4-3 in Brazil’s Super Cup this year in their most recent clash and will be looking to break a three-game winless sequence.

In Norway there is also a runaway league leader as Bodo/Glimt enjoy a six-point lead as the season heads to the halfway mark. With only one defeat this season, Bodo/Glimt are fancied to win away at Skien on Sunday when they meet Odd BK.

Defending champions Molde won last year’s title by 18 points from runners-up Bodo/Glimt, but this campaign sees Molde in sixth spot and 12 behind Bodo/Glimt.

Molde will be looking to climb their way up the standings at the expense of Brann Bergen, who they host on Sunday.

In Sweden, Elfsborg have won 10 of their last 11 matches but are still two points behind leaders Malmo. Elfsborg play away at Kalmar on Sunday in a tricky game against a club doing better than expected.

In Ireland, the revival of Dundalk is under examination tonight when they travel to Dublin to meet Bohemians. The match is included in all three cash-added TAB soccer pools tonight, including a R200,000-boosted Soccer 10. And you will find the headline Brazilian Serie A matches in other cash-added TAB pools this weekend, when TAB is injecting over R1 million in cash into selected bets.

Dundalk dominated Irish football for decades, but have faded in the last four seasons with Shamrock Rovers emerging champions each time. But they beat Rovers last weekend and will be looking to continue their revival.