Portuguese champions Porto will be in action on Friday when they go head to head with high-flying Braga at the Estadio do Dragao in round eight of the Primeira Liga.
Os Arcebispos, who are one of just two sides yet to lose in the league this season, head into the weekend on a run of eight consecutive victories across all competitions and will look to keep the juggernaut rolling.
Match preview
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Porto failed to find their feet in their most recent outing as they could only salvage a 1-1 draw with 10-man Estoril Praia when the sides met at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota two Saturdays ago.
In a game where Mor Ndiaye received his marching orders, Tiago Gouveia put the hosts in front with a 41st-minute strike, but Mehdi Taremi kept his cool under pressure as he converted his spot kick in the ninth minute of stoppage time to force a share of the spoils.
This followed a disappointing 4-0 defeat at the hands of Belgian outfit Club Brugge in Group B of the Champions League on September 13 which saw the Dragoes drop to the bottom of the table after losing their opening two matches.
Porto have managed just two wins in their last six games across all competitions — losing three and picking up one draw — and this underwhelming run has been owing to their recent struggles in defence, where they have conceded 10 goals and kept just two clean sheets in that time.
With 16 points from a possible 21, Sergio Conceicao's side are currently third in the Primeira Liga standings, three points and one place off Friday's visitors, who have picked up six wins and one draw from their seven outings.
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Braga maintained their superb run of results when they cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Vizela at the Estadio Braga Municipal two Sundays ago.
After being kept at bay for most of the game by the dogged Vizelenses' defence, substitute Vitinha broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute before Ricardo Horta made sure of the result with a 95th-minute strike.
This followed a 1-0 victory over German side Union Berlin on September 15 in Group D of the Europa League, where they are currently tied on six points with second-placed Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.
Artur Jorge's men are currently on an eight-game winning streak across all competitions, while they are unbeaten in each of their last 10 outings since a 2-0 defeat against Portimonense when the sides met in July's pre-season.
Braga boast a 100% record away from home in the Primeira Liga this season, while they are unbeaten in 10 of their 12 away games in the league since the turn of the year, claiming an impressive eight wins and two draws in that time.
Team News
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Porto will take to the pitch without the services of Brazilian forward Fernando Andrade, who is yet to make an appearance this season after sustaining a severe injury back in May.
He is joined on the Dragaos' injury table by 27-year-old midfielder Otavio, who missed the trip to Estoril Praia last time out after coming off injured in the Champions League clash against Club Brugge.
Taremi continued his fine goalscoring form in the international break, where he scored once in two outings for Iran, and the 30-year-old, who has seven goal involvements in the Primeira Liga, should lead the Porto attack once again.
As for Braga, Jorge will have to cope without Spanish defender Victor Gomez, who has been out of action since coming off injured in August's league opener against Sporting Lisbon.
Fellow defender Sikou Niakate has missed the last four games with an injury he picked up against Vitoria de Guimaraes on September 3 and the Frenchman remains out of contention for the visitors.
Ricardo Horta took his goal tally to four for the season with his strike against Vizela and the Portuguese international should form an attacking trio with Simon Banza and Abel Ruiz once again.
Porto possible starting lineup:
Costa; Conceicao, Cardoso, Carmo, Sanusi; Eustaquio, Franco, Uribe, Pepe; Evanilson, Taremi
Braga possible starting lineup:
Lima; Fabiano, Tormena, Oliveira, Sequeira; Al Musrati, Racic, Medeiros; R Horta, Ruiz, Banza
We say: Porto 1-2 Braga
With just three points and one place separating Porto and Braga in the upper echelons of the standings, we anticipate a thrilling contest with both sides taking the game to each other in a bid to come out on top.
Braga head into the weekend as the more in-form side and we are tipping them to edge out the hosts and maintain their 100% record away from home.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
