5 Tips for the Weekend’s Football Action – 17/7/21

The first game on this list of tips comes from the Brazilian Serie A where Corinthians take on Atletico Mineiro at Neo Química Arena where the visitors Atletico come in as favourites having won four of their last five matches.

At present, Corinthians are 12th in the table on 14 points from 11 games and come into this game in poor form following just one win in their last five games, which came in a 1-0 victory over Chapecoense thanks to a goal from former Manchester City and Everton forward Jo. The 34-year-old’s strike is one of just two goals that his side have scored in their last four outings, having lost 1-0 to Fortaleza, as well as drawing 1-1 and 0-0 with Internacional and Sao Paulo.

Mineiro are third in the Serie A with 22 points from 11 matches and have kept three clean sheets in their last four games across all competitions, following a 0-0 draw against Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores, as well as in two 1-0 victories over America Mineiro and Cuiaba.

Next up on this list of tips is another match from Brazil’s top flight, as Atletico Goianiense takes on league leaders and current Libertadores champions Palmeiras.

Atletico, who are in 10th place on 15 points come into this match having scored in all of their last four outings, which have resulted in two 1-1 draws against Juventude and Sport Recife, as well as a 1-0 victory over Gremio thanks to a strike from Lucas Gabriel Ribeiro Firmo, shortly after a 4-1 thumping at the hands of Mineiro.

Palmeiras have won eight of their opening 11 league matches, seeing them sit on 25 points. Two of their last four league matches have seen the both teams to score market land in 3-2 and 2-1 victories over Santos and Internacional, of which the latter saw an 89th-minute goal from 20-year-old Brazilian midfielder Danilo win them the match with his first goal for the club.

Lillestrom against Molde is the first tip from outside of Brazil on this list, which is a battle of seventh against top of the table in the Norwegian Eliteserien.

The hosts are in decent form coming into this match following three wins in their last five games, beating Tromso and Mjondalen 2-1, as well as managing a 2-0 victory over Rosenborg, drawing their other two matches 2-2 and 1-1 versus Valerenga and Brann.

Molde have won four of their last five games including a 5-0 hammering of Odd last time out where Kristoffer Haugen, Sheriff Sinyan, Ohi Omoijuanfo (2) and Magnus Grodem all got on the scoresheet. Erling Moe’s side have also beaten Stromsgodset 3-0, as well as defending champions Bodo/Glimt and Stabaek 2-0 and 2-1.

The last time these two sides met was back in September where it was Molde who came out on top in a 2-1 win thanks to a second-half strike from Leke James having trailed 1-0 at the break, as well as a dramatic 94th minute own goal from Lillestrom’s Tobias Salquist.

On Saturday night Atlanta United take on New England Revolution at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the hosts desperately looking to improve on their current positioning of 10th in the Eastern Conference, whilst the away side come in as top of the league.

Atlanta haven’t won any of their last five matches with some high scoring games taking place in two 2-2 draws with both Nashville and Philadelphia Union as well as a 3-0 away loss to Chicago Fire landing in the over 2.5 goals market.

New England’s games have somehow been even more hectic than Atlanta’s, as following back-to-back 3-2 victories over both of the New York clubs in Red Bulls and City, they have gone three games without a win following 2-1 and 3-2 losses to Dallas and Toronto, whilst also drawing 2-2 with Columbus Crew.

In the last meeting between these two sides, New England ran out as 2-1 winners in early May thanks to goals from Brandon Bye and former Aston Villa and Valencia midfielder Carles Gil.

The final tip on this list also comes from the MLS as Minnesota United go head-to-head with Seattle Sounders at Allianz Field on Sunday night in a battle of seventh against first in the Western Conference.

Minnesota are without a win in their last two matches following a 2-2 draw with San Jose Earthquakes and a 2-0 loss to Colorado Rapids, having previously won their last two games in the run-up to these fixtures 1-0 and 2-0 versus Portland Timbers and Austin.

The Sounders come into this match with three wins from their last five matches having beaten Houston Dynamo 2-0, Real Salt Lake 2-1 and LA Galaxy 2-1. Seattle also have a very good record against Minnesota, having beaten them in four of their last five meetings, including a 4-0 hammering in April which saw Raul Ruidiaz bag a brace.

Peruvian striker Ruidiaz is the player in focus coming into this match as the 30-year-old is currently the joint-top scorer in the MLS this season, finding the back of the net 10 times in 13 matches following four goals in his last five appearances.