Fortaleza and América-RN face each other this Saturday afternoon, February 3, 2024, starting at 4 pm, in a game valid for the 1st round of the group stage of the Copa do Nordeste. The match will be played at Arena Castelão, in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará.
Fortaleza
Boasting 100% success at the start of the season, Fortaleza has already played three official matches in 2024 and is used to entering the field as one of the favorites for the Copa do Nordeste title.
Owner of two tournament titles (2019 and 2022), Leão do Pici saw its biggest rival become champion of the Copa do Nordeste last season, considering that Ceará defeated Sport on penalties to take the title, which indirectly increases the pressure on Fortaleza to win the region’s main title again this year.
Last year, however, Fortaleza won the Campeonato Cearense title with an almost flawless campaign and in addition to remaining in the national elite without any major complications, it also came close to winning its first continental title.
This is because Leão do Pici reached the grand final of the Copa Sudamericana, but ended up losing to LDU on penalties in a traumatic way.
Their most recent duel was a resounding 3-1 victory over Iguatu, at home, in the Campeonato Cearense, which has been serving as preparation for Tricolor, already aiming for the start of the main competitions of the season.
In the last 5 times they entered the field officially, 5 consecutive victories were recorded. During this period, the Tricolor recorded triumphs over Santos, Goiás, Horizonte, Barbalha and also Iguatu.
Playing as home team, at Arena Castelão, the Fortaleza team recorded a recent campaign with 5 wins, 3 draws and only 2 defeats in the last 10 matches played.
América-RN
América-RN, on the other hand, finds itself in the Brazilian fourth division at a much lower level than its current opponent.
Representing Rio Grande do Norte football, the team has been lining up victims in the state championship, where they defeated Globo by an overwhelming score of 7-0 last Monday, in a match that followed the 4-0 triumph over the same Globo.
There were 4 wins, 1 draw and no defeats in the last 5 officially played matches. During this period, they showed strength by beating Potyguar Seridoense and also Globo twice each, in addition to drawing with Santa Cruz de Natal.
Playing away from home, the América-RN team recorded a recent performance with 3 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses in the last 10 matches played in this condition.
Conclusion:
Owner of broad pre-game favoritism, Fortaleza arrives in better conditions to be able to impose itself at home and pocket three precious points in this opening round, being identified as a strong candidate for the title while the opponent arrives as a great unknown.