SC Farense and Gil Vicente are in action for the first time in the new year when they go head to head at the Estadio de Sao Luis in round 16 of the Primeira Liga on Saturday.
Off the back of a disappointing first half of the season, Vitor Campelos's men currently find themselves three points above the danger zone and will be hoping for a strong showing in the business end of the season.
Match preview
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Having gained automatic promotion from the Segunda Liga last season, Farense will take pride in their performance in the first half of the campaign as they continue their quest for a first-ever finish in the top half of the table.
Jose Mota's men have picked up five wins and three draws in their 15 matches so far to collect 18 points and sit seventh in the Primeira Liga table, level with eighth-placed Famalicao.
However, it was a tough festive period for Farense, who failed to win any of their four matches in December, picking up two draws and losing twice, including a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Estoril Praia in their final game of the year.
The Algarve outfit's last win dates back to November 12, when they edged out Boavista 3-1 at the Estadio do Bessa thanks to goals from Elves Balde, Fabricio Isidoro and Rafael Barbosa.
Since the last international break, the goals seem to have dried up for the Leoes de Faro, who have netted just twice in four matches while shipping seven at the opposite end of the pitch.
However, Farense will fancy themselves to turn things around on Saturday as they take on an opposing side who have failed to win any of their last three meetings, losing twice and claiming one draw since January 2016.
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Gil Vicente, on the other hand, picked up a much-needed win in their final game of 2023 as they beat Boavista 1-0 when the sides squared off at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos.
Following a relatively uneventful first half, former Braga man Murilo Souza kept his cool under pressure as he converted his 64th-minute penalty to condemn Ricardo Paiva's side to an eighth defeat in nine matches since October.
Souza's penalty was enough to hand the Gilistas just their second victory in what has been a disappointing campaign and also snap their seven-game winless run in the league.
Campelos's men, who had lost four and picked up three draws before last weekend's win, have now pulled three points clear of the relegation zone and sit level on 15 points with 15th-placed Portimonense.
While victory on Saturday could see Gil Vicente move level on points with seventh-placed Farense, their results on the road offer little optimism as they have lost each of their last Primeira Liga 13 away matches since a 2-1 win at Porto last February.
Team News
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Farense will take to the pitch without Cape Verde international Ze Luis, who has missed the last six matches after coming off injured against Sporting Lisbon on November 2.
He is joined on the Leoes de Faro's injury table by 28-year-old John Jairo Velasquez, who continues his lengthy spell on the sidelines after picking up a severe injury in December 2022.
Brazilian defender Pastor will also play no part in Saturday's game as he serves a one-match suspension after crossing the yellow card threshold with his booking against Estoril last time out.
As for Gil Vicente, Campelos will be unable to name Angolan forward Depu, who has been sidelined since October through a muscle problem.
Veteran goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk is also out of contention for Saturday's game as he continues his long road to full fitness after sustaining a severe injury against Famalicao in February 2023.
SC Farense possible starting lineup:
Velho; Isidoro, Silva, Muscat, Talocha; Falcao, Goncalves; Belloumi, Mattheus, Matias; Duarte
Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Andrew; Ze Carlos, Fernandes, Pereira, Boas; Fujimoto, Dominguez, Gbane; Souza, Baturina, Correia
We say: SC Farense 1-1 Gil Vicente
Farense endured a tough end to the year but will be backing themselves against a Gil Vicente side who have struggled on their travels. However, we predict that both sides will cancel out each other's efforts and settle for a share of the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
