Two sides separated by five points and one place in the top half of the table go head to head in round 26 of the Primeira Liga as Moreirense play host to Arouca on Sunday.
The Arouquenses journey to the Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas looking to get one over the hosts, having failed to win any of their last four league meetings since December 2016.
Match preview
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Moreirense suffered another huge blow in their push for European football as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Boavista when the sides squared off at the Estadio do Bessa.
With nothing to separate the two sides heading into the final stages of the game, 24-year-old midfielder Miguel Reisinho came up clutch for the hosts as he struck in the 82nd minute to hand them all three points.
Having picked up four wins and three draws in their final seven games in 2023, Rui Borges's men have struggled for consistency since the turn of the new year, claiming four wins and losing five in their 10 matches so far.
While Moreirense have been solid at the defensive end of the pitch, where they have kept four clean sheets this year, their poor run of form has been owing to a lack of sting in front of goal, where they have netted just seven goals in 2024.
Elsewhere, Arouca were sent crashing back down to earth last time out when they suffered a 3-0 hammering at the hands of title-chasing Sporting Lisbon on home turf.
In a one-sided affair at the Estadio Municipal de Arouca, goals from Viktor Gyokeres, Geny Catamo and Danish midfielder Morten Hjulmand saw the visitors cruise to their 20th win of the season and maintain a one-point lead at the top of the table.
Prior to that, Daniel Sousa's men were on a run of two consecutive victories, scraping a 3-2 win against 10-man Famalicao on February 23, one week before thrashing Chaves 5-1 at the Estadio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira.
Arouca have now lost 11 of their 25 Primeira Liga matches so far while claiming 10 wins and four draws to collect 34 points from 25 matches and sit seventh in the table, five points and one place behind Sunday's hosts.
While the Arouquenses will look to return to winning ways this weekend, they have failed to get the better of Moreirense in each of their most recent four league meetings, losing twice and claiming two draws since a 4-1 victory in December 2016.
Team News
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Moreirense have scored just once in their last four matches since mid-February and Borges could make few changes in attack, with January signing Vinicius Mingotti pushing for his first league start.
At the centre of the park, we expect a midfield trio of Andre Castro, Goncalo Franco and 25-year-old Lawrence Ofori, with Fabiano, Carlos Ponck, Maracas and Godfried Frimpong forming the back four once again.
Arouca will have to cope without ever-present midfielder David Simao, who is currently suspended after crossing the yellow card threshold with his booking against Sporting Lisbon last Sunday.
In his absence, 26-year-old Kouassi Eboue should come into the fold, teaming up with Pedro Santos, Morlaye Sylla and former Alaves and Valencia man Jason in the centre of the park.
On the injury front, the Arouquenses will be without the Brazilian duo of Robson Mambu and Vitinho, who continue their spells on the sidelines.
Matias Rocha has missed Arouca's most recent three matches through a minor injury and the Uruguayan defender is also a doubt for this weekend's clash.
Moreirense possible starting lineup:
Kewin; Fabiano, Ponck, Maracas, Frimpong; Castro, Franco, Ofori; Madson, Camacho, Mingotti
Arouca possible starting lineup:
Arruabarrena; Esgaio, Galovic, Montero, Weverson; Eboue, Santos, Sylla, Jason; Gonzalez, Mujica
We say: Moreirense 1-1 Arouca
Looking at recent results between Moreirense and Arouca, we anticipate a cagey affair on Sunday. Both sides are evenly matched on paper and we predict that they will cancel out each other's efforts.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joshua Ojele
