Both sides will be aiming to end lengthy winless streaks when Vizela host Boavista in the Portuguese Primera Liga on Sunday.
Vizela have failed to win any of their last six league games, while Boavista have not won any of their most recent 11 matches.
Match preview
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Since finally ending their 36-year absence from Portugal's top flight by gaining promotion in 2021, Vizela have managed to preserve their status in the ensuing two seasons. However, having won fewer matches (two) than any other team in the division so far this season, that appears to be under threat this time around.
In fairness to Ruben de la Barrera's side, no team in the bottom half of the table has lost fewer games (seven) than them, suggesting that they are tougher to beat then their position of second-bottom may suggest. This has been helped by three successive draws in recent weeks.
The latest of those came in the form of a 1-1 draw away to Estrela Amadora, which represented a decent result considering that they fell behind to Andre Luiz's strike after just seven minutes. Samu's goal three minutes after half time proved enough for the visitors to return home with a well-deserved point.
Having won only one of eight home games in the league so far this season, failing to score in three of their last four matches at Estaio do Futebol Clube de Vizela, Barrera's side will be desperate to improve that record and potentially move outside of the relegation spots in the process.
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Boavista, meanwhile, have endured a dismal run in recent months. Since flying out of the traps by collecting 13 points from a possible 15 in the early weeks of the campaign, four draws and seven defeats have followed to see the Chequered Ones fall into the bottom half of the table.
As such, it was perhaps little surprise to see Petit lose his job as manager towards the end of 2023. The club's youth team manager Ricardo Paiva has been entrusted until the end of the season, with the 43-year-old leading Boavista to an impressive 1-1 draw against Porto in his second game in charge.
Toni Martinez and Bruno Lourenco exchanged strikes during the first half, before Boavista survived an onslaught after the break. Substitute Ibrahima Camara was given his marching orders two minutes from time, with Porto failing to turn their tally of 24 shots into any more than one goal.
Having collected just one point from their last five away games, Paiva and his players will be determined to avoid defeat at the very least ahead of another difficult trip to Benfica next weekend.
Team News
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Vizela will be without defensive midfielder Osama Rashid, who is away with Iraq on international duty. Otherwise, Barrera appears to have a full squad at his disposal.
The former El Salvador boss made 10 changes for the 1-0 win against Arouca in Taca de Portugal on Wednesday, suggesting that the league is very much his priority. Samu will be one of many to return to his side's starting XI.
Boavista, meanwhile, will travel without Chidozie Awaziem and Bruno Onyemaechi, as they are both away with Nigeria on international duty. Cesar, Augusto Dabo, and Salvador Agra are all expected to remain sidelined through injury, while Camara is suspended after his dismissal against Porto.
Having impressed when avoiding defeat against last season's runners-up, Paiva may opt to name an unchanged starting XI. That would mean Slovakia forward Robert Bozenik leading the visitors' line once again.
Vizela possible starting lineup:
Buntic; Silva, Wilson, Santos, Lebedenko; Nascimento, Cantillo; Jardel, Samu, Lacava; Essende
Boavista possible starting lineup:
Goncalves; Malheiro, Sasso, Abascal, Ferreira; Perez, Makouta, Reisinho; Lourenco, Bozenik, Morais
We say: Vizela 1-1 Boavista
Ordinarily, we would make Boavista favourites to win this match, but the visitors are missing some key players due to injury, suspension, and international call-ups. They will also arrive in Vizela in desperately poor form.
However, the hosts have also struggled to win in recent weeks, and they may settle for sharing the spoils. This would not be enough to move them out of the automatic relegation spots, but it may be viewed as another step in the right direction.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Brett Curtis
