Aiming to build on the second-best home record in the Campeonato Brasileiro, Coritiba welcome lowly Juventude to Estadio Couto Pereira on Sunday.
Now sitting 12th in the Serie A standings, following their fifth league win there this season, the hosts tackle an away side who last tasted victory over a month ago.
Match preview
After four successive defeats - and a total of six games without a win - Coritiba finally reversed their fortunes last weekend, as they stole maximum points against the odds at Couto Pereira.
Level with Fortaleza heading into stoppage time, and down to 10 men following Nathan's late dismissal, substitute striker Hugo struck home the winner that ended the club's barren spell.
Gustavo Morinigo's side may have failed to post a single away win so far this term - picking up just two points on the road - but superb form at their Parana State headquarters keeps them out of the relegation zone by a single point, amid the tightly-packed table.
Several of Coritiba's recent setbacks came at the hands of clubs towards the other end of the standings, so losing to three of the top four will not have overly concerned Morinigo, whose only previous appointments were in his native Paraguay.
The former Libertad boss led Coxa straight back to the top flight last season, following their demotion to Serie B, and so far his task of keeping them there remains more or less on track.
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Having narrowly avoided the drop in 2021, Juventude have a similar aim to achieve by the end of the current campaign, but occupy 19th place in the table after 15 rounds.
Their eighth league defeat of the year came at the hands of reigning champions Atletico Mineiro last Saturday, when they were beaten 2-1 at Estadio Alfredo Jaconi.
Juve fought bravely to overturn a two-goal deficit in Rio Grande do Sul, but despite having more shots on goal and edging the possession statistics against their more illustrious rivals, they still lost for the fifth time in six games.
Defensive woes continue to plague the Alviverde, and Umberto Louzer's men hold the league's worst record in that regard, with 26 goals conceded so far.
Formerly coach of Coritiba, back in 2019, Louzer has yet to win as Juventude boss, and his current club last tasted victory against Fluminense at the start of June, when predecessor Eduardo Baptista was still in charge.
Nonetheless, Juve are still only six points from safety with more than half the season remaining, and victory this week would lift them nearer to the right side of the dotted line.
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Team News
Coritiba have had a man sent off in three of their last five outings, and their latest lack of discipline sees Nathan suspended this weekend. Midfielder Val received his third yellow card of the campaign against Fortaleza and also sits out Saturday's game.
Young winger Warley is a major doubt due to injury, alongside full-back Diego Porfirio, who came off early last time out.
On the other hand, left-back Guilherme Biro and Igor Paixao - Coxa's top scorer in 2022, with 11 goals - have served their respective suspensions and are available to deputise.
The ending of a transfer ban has enabled the club to secure the signing of goalkeeper Gabriel Vasconcelos, previously at Italian club Lecce, but he cannot feature until the next window opens later this month.
Meanwhile, Juventude coach Umberto Louzer has apparently been toying with a switch to a two-man strike partnership, after Isidro Pitta and Ricardo Bueno were paired together during a practice match. The latter usually features as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Several of the visitors' injured players have returned to individual training, but centre-back Paulo Miranda and midfielder Marlon both face a race against time to make the trip to Parana.
Coritiba possible starting lineup:
William; Alexandre, Henrique, Castan, Biro; Farias, Galarza; Paixao, Fabricio, Manga; Gamalho
Juventude possible starting lineup:
Cesar; Alves, Kelven, Forster, Moraes; Yuri, Jadson; Capixaba, Kim, Pitta; Bueno
We say: Coritiba 2-1 Juventude
The two teams with the leakiest defences in Serie A convene on Saturday, so there are likely to be goals at either end.
Confidence from their overdue win last week can help Coritiba edge out Juve in a closely contested affair; further building an impressive points return on home soil.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
