A key battle in the fight for survival at the bottom end of the Primeira Liga table will take place at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on Friday, as Estoril Praia entertain Portimonense.
The two teams are settled by a single point with nine games to go, as the hosts occupy the relegation playoff spot and the visitors are just one place above the bottom three.
Match preview
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Estoril Praia return to action on Friday aiming to jump out of the bottom three in the Primeira Liga, having endured a dismal campaign thus far in their bid to maintain their top-flight status.
After a 14th-placed finish last time around, the Canarinhos currently occupy the relegation playoff place, having earned just 22 points from their first 25 outings and picked up just six victories along the way.
The most recent of those three-point hauls came at home to fellow strugglers Estrela Amadora in early February, triumphing by a goal to nil, but Vasco Seabra's side have been unable to mount an improved survival bid since, adding just one more point to their tally in the last five attempts.
Losses to Boavista and Gil Vicente immediately followed that victory, and after a 3-3 draw with 17th-placed Vizela in which they were pegged back by a 95th-minute leveller, the Canarinhos head into Friday's meeting again on the back of consecutive defeats, falling short at home to Vitoria de Guimaraes before most recently suffering a 3-1 loss away at title-chasing Benfica on Sunday, despite drawing level through Rodrigo Gomes in the 22nd minute.
Now sitting in the relegation playoff place as a result of their slump, with Estrela Amadora having leapt out of the bottom three last weekend, Estoril Praia will be desperate to bounce back on Friday and improve their survival chances with a home win that would see them leapfrog the visitors and move out the drop zone.
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The travelling side, meanwhile, will bid to increase their slender lead over the hosts on Friday, having endured a similarly tough campaign in the fight for Primeira Liga survival thus far.
From their opening 25 games, Portimonense have only managed 23 points, one more than Estoril, having also picked up just six top-flight victories.
The most recent two of those triumphs came over Farense and Boavista in a three-match span in January, with the latter being a 4-1 thrashing, but like their hosts, Paulo Sergio's side have been unable to build an improved run to bolster their survival hopes since and find themselves six games without a victory in the top flight.
That rut began with consecutive defeats to Arouca and Estrela Amadora, and after playing out home draws with Vitoria de Guimaraes and Vizela either side of a 4-0 thrashing away at Benfica, the Alvinegros most recently hosted Porto last Friday and again came away empty-handed from a 3-0 beating, as Nico Gonzalez opened the scoring inside 10 minutes and Galeno and Pepe added second-half goals for the visitors.
Now only leading the bottom three by a single point with nine matches to go, Portimonense will travel to Estoril in search of a crucial victory on Friday to extend their cushion and move further away from the bottom three with Rio Ave and Estrela Amadora just one and two points ahead respectively.
Team News
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Estoril Praia will remain without midfielder Jordan Holsgrove, who has been sidelined by injury since January, while Erick Cababo will also continue a lengthy spell in the treatment room.
Forwards Cassiano and Alejandro Marques sit level at the top of the Canarinhos' scoring charts with 10 goals each this season, with the former having started in their defeat to Benfica last time out and the latter settling for a substitute appearance, and Seabra may look to fit both in on Friday, with Rafik Guitane and Heriberto Tavares also vying to keep their places in attack.
If they stick with a 3-4-3 shape, Vinicius Zanocelo and Mateus Fernandes should again partner up in the midfield, while Joao Basso, Bernardo Vital and Eliaquim Mangala will likely continue in an unaltered back three.
After missing the Porto game last time out through suspension, Pedro Henrique should return from the outset in the middle of the Portimonense back line on Friday.
He will rejoin Alemao, allowing Filipe Relvas to shift back to the left-hand side of the defence, while Nonoca and Dener should continue their partnership in the engine room.
Helio Varela was given the nod to lead the line in their 4-2-3-1 setup last time out, but Ronie Carrillo and Hildeberto Pereira will both fight to come back in up front, while captain Carlinhos is arguably their main threat going forward having netted eight goals and provided three assists across all competitions so far this term.
Estoril Praia possible starting lineup:
Figueira; Basso, Vital, Mangala; Pina, Fernandes, Zanocelo, Gomes; Guitane, Cassiano, Marques
Portimonense possible starting lineup:
Nakamura; Formiga, Alemao, Henrique, Relvas; Nonoca, Dener; Jasper, Carlinhos, Varela; Carrillo
We say: Estoril Praia 1-1 Portimonense
Both teams head into a true six-pointer without any momentum or confidence, and given the high stakes we anticipate a cagey encounter which may end in a low-scoring draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
