Gil Vicente will welcome Casa Pia to the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Saturday in the final round of Primeira Liga fixtures this season.
After a tough run of form recently, the hosts sit 14th and can still move up or down one place on the final day, while their visitors have also experienced a dip but can seal a top-half finish on their return to Portugal's top flight with a victory.
Match preview
© Reuters
After enjoying a fifth-placed finish in Portugal's top flight last time around, Gil Vicente head into the final game of the Primeira Liga season in disappointing form, having only steered clear of relegation thanks to their run of results after the turn of the year.
In an eight-match span between mid-January and early March, Os Gilistas picked up 17 points courtesy of five victories and two draws alongside just a single defeat, taking their tally to 29 from 23 games, but they have since managed just five more points in their last 10 outings.
That rut began with defeats to Rio Ave and Estoril, and after back-to-back goalless stalemates with Sporting Lisbon and Chaves, Daniel Sousa's side would suffer four straight defeats between mid-April and early May, falling short against Braga, Portimonense, Benfica and Santa Clara, before finally returning to winning ways at home to Boavista, picking up a 3-1 victory courtesy of a Fran Navarro brace followed by a late penalty from Murilo de Souza.
Aiming to build on that result and end the season on a high with a run of three-point hauls, they were unable to make it back-to-back triumphs away at Vitoria de Guimaraes last time out, with the contest looking set to end goalless, only for Anderson to net a winner for the hosts three minutes into injury time.
With the dismal run in recent months causing a drop to 14th, albeit without the threat of falling into the bottom three, Os Gilistas will at least aim to end with a victory to stand a chance of leapfrogging Portimonense and climbing back up a place on the final day.
© Reuters
They meet a Casa Pia side who have also slipped down the division recently after impressing on their promotion to the top flight this season.
It has been a season of two halves for Os Gansos, who sat fifth at the turn of the year with 26 points on the board from their opening 14 outings but have since put just three more wins on the board in their 19 attempts in 2023.
The most recent of those triumphs came in mid-March at home to Maritimo, as Felippe Cardoso netted both goals in a 2-0 victory, and Filipe Martins's men have managed just three points since, firstly suffering four defeats in a five-match span only broken up by a draw with Rio Ave.
They would then share points in a 1-1 draw at home to Portimonense, only being pegged back by a Bryan Rochez leveller deep into injury time, before again conceding in the dying embers in a tough trip to title-chasing Porto in mid-May, with Danny Loader sealing a 2-1 win for the hosts in the 93rd minute after Casa Pia initially led through an Evenilson own goal.
Following that commendable performance against the Portuguese giants and the late disappointment, Os Gansos most recently hosted Estoril Praia in a dramatic 2-2 draw last Sunday, as they went 2-1 up in the 96th minute through Saviour Godwin, only to eventually split the points as Pedro Alvaro levelled the scores two minutes later, and having now dropped points in injury time of each of their last three matches, Casa Pia will hope to at least end their first season back in the top flight with a win and a top-half finish.
Team News
© Reuters
Gil Vicente come into the final day without goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk and attacker Ali Alipour, both of whom have been sidelined by injuries since mid-February.
In the absence of the former, it is Andrew who has stepped in between the sticks, and the 21-year-old should again play behind a back four of Ze Carlos, Ne Lopes, Tomas Araujo and Henrique Gomes.
In a 4-2-3-1 setup, the line should again be led by Fran Navarro, who has netted 20 goals this season, including 16 in the Primeira Liga, while Kanya Fujimoto will offer support through the centre.
Casa Pia have two long-term absentees of their own, with Leo Natel and Kiki Silva having both missed the back end of the season through injuries.
They have not benefitted from a prolific frontman like their hosts have throughout the season, although Felippe Cardoso has impressed since his January arrival from Santos, having netted four goals in 10 league appearances for the club so far, and he should again lead the line with support from Saviour Godwin.
With experienced striker Rafael Martins, who leads their scoring charts this season, also out through injury for the last day, Yuki Soma could again complete the front line, while Beni Mukendi and Diogo Pinto will likely continue their partnership in midfield in a 3-4-3 shape.
Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Andrew; Carlos, Lopes, Araujo, Gomes; Carvalho, Aburjania; Costa, Fujimoto, Aouacheria; Navarro
Casa Pia possible starting lineup:
Batista; Varela, Fernandes, Bangou; Poloni, Mukendi, Pinto, Lelo; Godwin, Cardoso, Soma
We say: Gil Vicente 1-1 Casa Pia
Casa Pia's performances have improved in recent weeks, but they have been unable to see out victories, and we see that trend continuing with a draw at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on the final day.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
