RIO DE JANEIRO (Interstat) — Santos and Sport Recife will meet in a Carioca Série A fixture on Friday, looking to build momentum after recent draws.

The clubs played to a 2-2 stalemate in their most recent encounter on July 26. The upcoming match at Santos’ home venue is projected to be another tight affair, with Interstat’s game simulator forecasting a 1-1 final score.

Santos (2-5-3 in its last 10 matches) enters the contest following a 1-1 road draw with Internacional on Monday. The club has shown resilience, including a 1-0 victory over powerhouse Palmeiras on Nov. 15, but has struggled for consistency.

Sport Recife (0-2-8 in its last 10) is in dire form and seeking its first win since mid-October. It is coming off a 3-1 home defeat to EC Vitoria on Sunday, part of a string of losses where it has conceded multiple goals. Its defense will be tested again against a Santos attack capable of scoring.

Following this match, Santos will travel to face EC Juventude on Wednesday, while Sport Recife visits EC Bahia on the same day.