Arouca will be looking to record back-to-back wins across all competitions when they welcome strugglers Chaves to Estadio Municipal de Arouca on Sunday afternoon in the Primeira Liga.
The hosts started their group-stage campaign in the League Cup with a win in the week, while Chaves have had a full week to mull over a share of the spoils in the league last week, when the visitors collected their maiden point of the term.
Match preview
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Just like the Primeira Liga's big hitters, Arouca have been very busy during the opening weeks of the 2023-24 campaign, and on Tuesday night their attention turned to a League Cup clash with second-tier outfit AVS Futebol SAD.
Daniel Ramos's men took the lead after 19 minutes thanks to a strike from Jason but were pegged back by a Carlos Daniel finish, but a second-half goal by Cristo Gonzalez ensured that the visitors finished the evening top of the group - a section which contains Benfica who are yet to play.
After finishing fifth in the Portuguese top flight last term, Arouca earned the honour of playing in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds, although a 3-1 loss at Norwegian side Brann ended their brief European journey two matches before the group-stage proper.
Since that defeat on the continent, Arouca have failed to win any of their last five Primeira Liga matches, although they have picked up respectable points against Porto and Portimonense earlier in the season.
Ramos's side currently sit 12th in the top-flight standings after collecting six points from as many games, and even if that record does not impress too much, there is a consensus that Saturday's hosts have significant room for improvement in the coming weeks.
Chaves picked up their first point of the new Primeira Liga term last Sunday, coming from two goals down to force a share of the spoils with Estrela da Amadora at Estadio Municipal Manuel Branco.
Veteran striker Hector Hernandez bagged the hosts' first of the contest in the 85th minute to draw them closer to a draw, and substitute Pedro Pinho made the net ripple in the fourth minute of added time to get Luis Morgado's men off the mark in the league.
A worrying theme for the Flavienses so far has been their tendency to leak goals, having conceded 19 times in their opening six matches and letting in at least two goals in each of their clashes to date, meaning Hugo Nogueira has been nowhere near earning his first clean sheet of 2023-24.
After gaining promotion from the second tier in 2022, Chaves achieved a remarkable seventh-placed finish on their return to the top table of Portuguese football, but the early signs point towards a nasty scrap for survival this time around.
Morgado's charges have lost all three of their league outings so far by an aggregate scoreline of 11-1, with only Brazilian youngster Paulo Victor managing to find the net during that trio of defeats.
Team News
Arouca are set to be without the services of attacker Benji Michel until the New Year, with the former Haiti and USA international still recovering from a serious cruciate ligament injury sustained in May.
The hosts will be unable to call on the talents of striker Rafa Mujica after the 24-year-old was sent off in the 1-0 defeat at Famalicao last time out in the Primeira Liga.
That suspension for two-goal Mujica should mean that his compatriot Miguel Puche earns his first start of the league campaign after failing to find the net in six substitute appearances so far.
Chaves are light of options on the right flank heading into Sunday's meeting, with Ruben Lameiras not fit for selection following a knee injury earlier this month.
Last-minute scorer Pinho is expected to be rewarded with only his second start of the term - a move which would see either Guima or Ruben Ribeiro drop to the bench.
Arouca possible starting lineup:
De Arruabarrena; Fernandes, Galovic, Montero; Trezza, Sylla, Simao, Milovanov; Jason, Gonzalez; Puche
Chaves possible starting lineup:
Nogueira; Correia, Ygor, Vitoria, Langa; Guima, Queiros; Victor, Pinho, Sanca; Hernandez
We say: Arouca 2-0 Chaves
Arouca ended their concerning winless run in the League Cup in the week, and last term's fifth-placed team will be confident of recording another success against basement dwellers Chaves this Sunday.
The Flavienses only just managed to earn a last-gasp draw at home to a newly-promoted side last time out, and we believe they will be unable to repeat the trick in Arouca this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Carter White
