Only two points separate Gil Vicente and Estrela Amadora ahead of Saturday's Primeira Liga match at Estadio Cidade de Barcelos.
The away side head into the gameweek eight match having notched their first victory of the 2024-25 campaign and aim to build on that success against their out-of-form hosts.
Match preview
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Gil Vicente's mixed start to the new term is underscored by two heavy defeats at Porto (3-0) and last weekend at Benfica (5-1) bookending a five-match undefeated sequence.
However, Bruno Pinheiro's men secured maximum points once during that period, with a sole victory against promoted AVS and four draws with Estoril, Braga, Famalicao and Casa Pia.
Supporters probably expected little going to Lisbon in gameweek seven — given the giants' strength at Estadio da Luz — and hope their team play positively against an opponent that could leapfrog them in the standings after round eight.
Much will depend on Galos being clinical in the attacking third, having struggled for goals early on this term, underscored by scoring seven times before their forthcoming fixture, with four of those strikes coming in the 4-2 success against AVS in round two.
However, the recent outcomes in this fixture have favoured the visiting side, with Gil Vicente not beating Estrela in the league since September 2003.
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Although that 21-year wait is an upshot of both clubs playing in different divisions, the last five-match-ups have either gone Estrela's way or ended in a stalemate, with Tricolores securing four points from six against Galos in the 2023-24 season.
Dinis Delgado enters this weekend keen to extend that undefeated sequence to six and as the away side hope to build on last weekend's victory against Moreirense.
Goals from Leonel Bucca and Kikas in the game's opening 20 minutes meant Estrela battled for maximum points and unsurprisingly hunkered down for much of the rest of the fixture, holding firm for an hour until Ruben Ramos Ismael halved the deficit in the 82nd minute.
Despite the late concession, Tricolores held on for their first win of the new campaign and aim to notch back-to-back victories in the competition for the first time since October last year, when they secured a pair of 1-0 wins over Casa Pia and Famalicao.
However, a wretched run without an away victory in the Liga since that success over Casa Pia points to more road disappointment this weekend.
Team News
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Mory Gbane is touch-and-go for Saturday's match for Gil Vicente, who are expected to be without the services of Facundo Caseres (knee) and Sphephelo Sithole (fracture).
Although Kanya Fujimoto has netted four times in the Liga, the home side cannot rely on those goals from midfield for the season's entirety and need their forwards to deliver sooner rather than later to avoid getting sucked into relegation trouble.
Manuel Keliano, Ferro and Miguel Lopes are not expected to play any part for Estrela, who could retain last week's 4-2-3-1 approach in Saturday's visit to Galos.
Kikas notched his third league goal in the team's first success of the new term and aims to add to that tally for a side seeking a year-long wait for consecutive league wins and a first on the road.
Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Andrew; Carlos, Buatu, Fernandes, Cruz; Fujimoto, Castillo, Garcia; Correia, Caue, Mboula
Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:
Brigido; Travassos, Cissokho, Gabriel, Varela; Jesus, Cordeiro; Bucca, Ruiz, Cabral; Kikas
We say: Gil Vicente 1-1 Estrela Amadora
Even though Estrela should take confidence from last week's victory, they may have to settle for a point in their visit to Gil Vicente.
The home side have suffered heavy losses to two possible title contenders but have competed commendably in their other five Liga matches.
This one could end with both sides sharing the spoils in Barcelos.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
