Preview: Estoril Praia vs Rio Ave – prediction, team news, lineups

A rejuvenated Rio Ave aspect shall be out to make it three wins in a row for the primary time since November 2024 once they go to the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota to face Estoril Praia in spherical 27 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Sunday.

The Canarinhos, however, shall be seeking to make it 10 straight house video games with out defeat within the league for the reason that begin of October and transfer inside six factors of the European qualifying locations heading into the ultimate eight video games of the season.

Match preview

Estoril Praia picked up one other vital victory of their quest for a top-four end final Saturday as they held agency to see out a slim 1-0 win over Nacional when the 2 sides squared off on the Estadio da Madeira.

Austrian defender Felix Bacher netted his second purpose in 4 video games when he rose highest to move house Joao Carvalho’s nook within the eighth minute earlier than the guests turned in a stable defensive show to see out the victory.

Estoril Praia have now gone unbeaten in seven of their 10 Primeira Liga matches for the reason that flip of the 12 months, choosing up 5 wins and two attracts, with two of the three defeats coming by the hands of title-chasers Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.

This stable run of outcomes has put Ian Cathro’s males in competition for European qualification, as they sit seventh within the Primeira Liga standings with 37 factors from 26 matches, 9 factors behind Braga within the Convention League qualifying spot heading into the ultimate eight video games.

Alternatively, a resurgent Rio Ave aspect picked up three large factors of their battle for survival once they edged out Estrela Amadora 2-1 at house final weekend to tug 5 factors away from the hazard zone.

January signing Jalen Blesa delivered the products as soon as once more, netting on both aspect of the half-time break on the Estadio dos Arcos to place the hosts in a two-goal lead, earlier than Rodrigo Pinho struck within the sixty fifth minute to tug one again for Eatrela.

Previous to that, Rio Ave snapped their run of six consecutive defeats on March 1, once they performed out a goalless draw with Famalicao on house turf, eight days earlier than choosing up a 1-0 victory over Tondela on the Estadio Joao Cardoso courtesy of a Seventieth-minute strike from Blesa.

This upturn in kind has strengthened Sotiris Sylaidopoulos’s males’s bid to protect their top-flight standing for a fifth 12 months, as they now sit twelfth within the Primeira Liga desk with 27 factors from 26 matches, 5 factors above Sixteenth-placed Nacional within the relegation playoff spot.

Nevertheless, subsequent up for Rio Ave is a troublesome journey to the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, the place Estoril are unbeaten in every of their final 9 league video games, choosing up 5 wins and 4 attracts since a slim 1-0 defeat towards Sporting Lisbon on September 27.

Estoril Praia Primeira Liga kind:

Rio Ave Primeira Liga kind:

Workforce Information

© Imago / Ball Uncooked Photos

Barring any late health points, Kevin Boma stays Estoril Praia’s solely absentee this weekend, because the 23-year-old defender has been sidelined since February by means of a muscle harm.

Yanis Begraoui scored a hat-trick to fireplace the Canarinhos to an emphatic 4-0 victory towards Rio Ave in November’s reverse fixture, and the Moroccan striker, who’s third within the Primeira Liga Golden Boot race with 17 objectives, shall be seeking to hang-out the guests as soon as once more.

As for Rio Ave, Sylaidopoulos shall be unable to call Costa Rican midfielder Brandon Aguilera Zamora, who has missed the final six video games by means of a cruciate ligament harm.

French defender Julien Lomboto has been dominated out since sustaining an harm towards Arouca in January and can sit out this weekend’s tie, whereas Dario Spikic is a significant doubt after coming off injured towards Estrela final trip.

Spanish striker Blesa has been on track for Rio Ave since his transfer from Cesena within the winter window and the 25-year-old, who has netted 4 objectives in six appearances, shall be one to control this weekend.

Estoril Praia attainable beginning lineup:

Robles; Carvalho, Ferro, Bacher, Sanchez; Orellana, Tsoungui, Holsgrove; Carvalho, Marques, Begraoui

Rio Ave attainable beginning lineup:

Van der Gouw; Vrousai, Brabec, Mancha, Abbey; Nikitscher, Ntoi; Bezerra, Pohlmann, Dario Tome; Harm

We are saying: Estoril Praia 2-1 Rio Ave

Rio Ave have flipped the script in current weeks, however they’ll should be at their greatest towards an Estoril Praia aspect whom they’ve didn’t get the higher of of their final 5 encounters, shedding three and claiming two attracts since a 2-0 victory in February 2023.

The Canarinhos have made their house patch a troublesome floor for any visiting aspect and we predict they’ll come away with the specified end result right here as they proceed their pursuit of a top-four end.

For knowledge evaluation of the most probably outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click on right here.