Everything you need to know about the match between Vila Nova and Goiatuba in the 1st round of the Campeonato Goiano on January 17th, Wednesday, at 8pm, at the Estádio Onésio Brasileiro Alvarenga (OBA), in Goiânia, Goiás.
The works to revitalize the OBA pitch will not be completed in time for the competition’s debut, but this will not prevent the clash from taking place at its facilities. The renovation is expected to be completed by January 28th, just in time for the long-awaited clash between Vila Nova and Atlético-GO.
The 2024 Goiano Championship will maintain the same structure as the previous edition, being the 81st edition of the tournament. The competition will begin on January 17th and end on April 7th, with twelve clubs competing in a single group, playing each opponent only once. The best eight will advance to the quarterfinals, while the bottom two will be relegated.
Vila Nova
Vila Nova, after a challenging season in 2023, where it was on the verge of access to Series A, but saw this opportunity slip away, is now in the midst of a meticulous restructuring process aiming for the year 2024.
Analyzing the performance at home and in opponent territory in the competition, Vila Nova demonstrated a superior performance when acting as host. Of the 186 games played at their stadium, the team won 105 occasions (56%), drew 44 (24%) and suffered 37 defeats (20%).
Regarding recent results in the competition, the highlights are a 0-1 defeat and a goalless draw against Anápolis, as well as a draw against Aparecidense and a convincing 0-2 victory over Goianésia.
The technical command under the leadership of Higo Magalhães remains unchanged, reflecting Vila Nova’s search for stability and consistency, while new talents, such as Eron and Iago Mendonça, emerge as reinforcements for the year 2024. The planned tactical formation is a 4-3-3.
Goiatuba
On the other hand, Goiatuba is one of the novelties of this Goiano Championship, rising from the Access Division to the main scenario. The club filled one of the vacancies left by relegated Inhumas and Grêmio Anápolis, and now faces the challenge of adapting to the elite of Goiás football.
Goiatuba has a history of 94 games in the Goiano Championship, with 26 wins, representing 28% of the total matches. Additionally, the team accumulated 23 draws (24%) and 45 defeats (48%). In terms of goals, Goiatuba scored 126 times, with an average of 1.34 goals per game, and conceded 173 goals, with an average of 1.84 goals per game.
Recent results include draws and defeats against teams like Vila Nova itself (1×1), as well as defeats against Aparecidense (2×0), Iporá (0x1) and Atlético Goianiense (0x2).
Coach Márcio Goiano, with his renewed technical committee, remains in charge of Goiatuba, which has an initial squad of 19 players, eight of which remain from the champion team of the second division in Goiás. The tactical formation adopted is 4-3-3.
Conclusion:
In this scenario, the forecast favors Vila Nova due to its experience and consistent record in the Campeonato Goiano. Goiatuba, as newly promoted, will face challenges adapting to the elite, which could affect their initial performance. Vila Nova’s motivation to recover from a disappointing season should drive them to seek victory from the first game.