The action continues in round 21 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga as cellar-dwelling Rio Ave and Casa Pia go head to head at the Estadio dos Arcos on Sunday.
With just two points separating the teams at the bottom end of the table, we anticipate an action-packed contest as both sides look to pull clear of the danger zone.
Match preview
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Rio Ave turned in a defensive show of class last Saturday as they held a rampant Porto side to a goalless draw when the teams squared off at the Estadio do Dragao.
In a game where Emmanuel Boateng received his marching orders, a total of 24 shots were fired but neither goalkeeper would end up picking the ball out of the back of the net, with the visitors holding firm for the point.
This was a third consecutive share of the spoils for Luis Freire's side, who have now gone four games on the bounce without a win — picking up three points from a possible 12 — and have won just one of their last 10 matches since November.
The poor run of results has seen Rio Ave's two-year spell in the Portuguese top flight come under threat as they currently sit 16th in the Primeira Liga table, two points and one place below Sunday's visitors just above the relegation playoff spot.
However, the Vilacondenses will be backing themselves to find their feet on Sunday as they return home, where they are unbeaten in each of their last five matches, claiming two wins and three draws since losing successive games against Moreirense and Farnese back in October.
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Like this weekend's hosts, Casa Pia failed to pull clear of the relegation zone as they played out an uneventful goalless draw with Boavista when the sides squared off last Monday.
In a forgettable contest at the Pedro Miguel de Barros Moreira, the two outfits finished the game without registering a shot on target, and a draw was certainly a fair result upon reflection.
Prior to that, Casa Pia were on a three-match losing streak, including a humiliating 8-0 loss at the hands of league leaders Sporting Lisbon at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on January 29.
Having finished 10th in the standings last season, Os Gansos' underwhelming campaign has been owing to their lack of sting in attack, where they have scored the third-fewest number of goals so far (19).
Pedro Moreira's men will head into the weekend with plenty of optimism though as they take on an opposing side who have failed to win each of their last three encounters, stretching back to a 1-0 victory in May 2032.
Team News
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Rio Ave will have to cope without striker Boateng, who is currently suspended after receiving his marching orders against Porto last time out.
In his absence, Fortuna Sittard loanee Umaro Embalo should come into the fold, forming the front three with Joca Fernandes and 30-year-old forward Joao Teixeira.
Goncalo Rodrigues, who started 15 league games this season, recently completed a move to Chinese outfit Beijing Guoan while loan signing Amine Rehmi could be handed his debut this weekend.
Off the back of a solid defensive display against Boavista, we expect an unchanged back four of Gaizka Larrazabal, Duplexe Tchamba, Fernando Varela and Leonardo Lelo, with Ricardo Batista starting in goal once again.
At the attacking end of the pitch, Felippe Cardoso and Brazilian forward Clayton should form the front two, while Neto and Angola international Beni Mukendi should retain their roles in the centre of the park.
On the injury front, Casa Pia remain without the services of Portuguese forward Kiki Silva, who has been sidelined since last March through an Achilles tendon injury.
Rio Ave possible starting lineup:
Jhonatan; Sa, Santos, Nobrega; Costinha, Tanlongo, Ronaldo, Ruiz; Fernandes, Teixeira, Embalo
Casa Pia possible starting lineup:
Batista; Larrazabal, Tchamba, Varela, Lelo; Moreira, Mukendi, Neto, Soma; Cardoso, Clayton
We say: Rio Ave 1-0 Casa Pia
While both sides are evenly matched on paper, Rio Ave's home advantage gives them a slight edge this weekend. Freire's have been impressive at the Estadio dos Arcos in the last three months and we see them claiming all three points, albeit by a narrow margin.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joshua Ojele
