Preview: Alverca vs Estrela Amadora - prediction, team news, lineups

Two sides looking to bounce back after heavy defeats in their last outings will go head-to-head on Saturday as Alverca welcome Estrela Amadora to the Complexo Desportivo FC Alverca for matchday 20 of the Primeira Liga.

While a 5-0 loss at Braga last weekend leaves the Ribatejo hosts 10th in the Portuguese top-flight table, a 4-0 thrashing at Benfica saw the Amadoran visitors slip to 13th, though they hold a four-point cushion over the relegation playoff spot.

Match preview

Having entered matchday 19 on the back of consecutive victories, Alverca would have backed themselves to take something from their trip to Braga, but instead the newly promoted side were given a reality check, with the encounter perhaps already wrapped up even before the interval.

Custodio Castro’s men shipped four goals in the first half before Fran Navaro completed the rout for the hosts late on, maintaining the Ribatejo club’s all-or-nothing trend on the wrong side of the result.

Since returning from the November international break, Alverca have either claimed full points or suffered defeat across eight games, though four victories in that span (L4) still represent an improvement on their earlier run, when they managed just three wins in their opening 11 outings (D2, L6).

That leaves the newly promoted team with a comfortable eight-point cushion over the relegation playoff spot, putting them on course to retain their top-flight status after more than two decades in the lower divisions.

Despite this encouraging position, there is still room for improvement at both ends of the pitch, with Alverca having scored just 19 goals this season – the second fewest among sides above the bottom three – while conceding 33.

However, fans of the Ribatejo side would have little cause for concern about their team’s form on their turf, having won three of their last four home games (L1), bringing their total to five victories from 10 league matches (D1, L4) at the Complexo Desportivo this season.

That makes this encounter a daunting task for the Amadorans, who enter low on confidence after failing to win each of their last three top-flight games (D1, L2), including back-to-back losses, where they shipped a whopping nine goals and drawing blank in both.

Last weekend’s thrashing at Benfica saw the Tricolores hold their ground until the 42nd minute, when Vangelis Pavlidis opened the scoring and added another after the interval, while Sidny Lopes Cabral compounded the misery for his former side, as Estrela suffered their eighth defeat of the Primeira Liga campaign.

The Amadorans have now conceded 36 goals in 19 league matches this season, while 23 scored at the other end means they have more promise in attack, even if Joao Nuno’s side have been inconsistent in producing that threat on the road.

Estrela have drawn a blank in five of their nine away outings this Primeira Liga campaign, winning just two (D3, L4) and losing four of their last six, so picking up even a point on Saturday would still count as an encouraging return.

The Amadorans can be optimistic of getting a result at Alverca, given they are unbeaten in their last three meetings (W2, D1), including a narrow victory when both sides last clashed in Ribatejo in 2004, though this season’s reverse ended in a 2-2 draw.

Alverca Primeira Liga form:

Estrela Amadora Primeira Liga form:

Estrela Amadora form (all competitions):

Team News

Alverca are expected to remain without long-term absentees Leo Chu, Tomas Mendes and Stephane Diarra, as they remain sidelined with injury.

Meanwhile, Chissumba could be unavailable once again, after missing last weekend’s game, so it will not be a surprise if Isaac James retains his spot at left-back.

Twenty-year-old midfielder Alex Amorim will be a huge miss for Castro’s side following the Brazilian’s departure to Italian club Genoa in midweek.

Estrela also recently saw left-back Guilherme Montoia move to Polish outfit Jagiellonia Białystok, while Joao Gastao was loaned to lower division side Os Belenenses during the week.

Meanwhile, new signing Kevin Hoog Jansson could be unavailable for Saturday’s clash after limping off the pitch on his debut last weekend.

Alverca possible starting lineup:

Gomes; Naves, Gomez, Meupiyou; Touaizi, Abdulai, Gui, James; Lincoln, Lima, Figueiredo

Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:

Ribeiro; Encada, Schappo, Patrick, Otavio; Meireles, Sola, Moreira; Marcus, Antonetti, Jovane

We say: Alverca 2-0 Estrela Amadora

The contrast in respective home and way form for both sides could come into play here, as Alverca return to familiar ground, where they have enjoyed success in recent times.

As such we are backing the hosts to take full spoils against an Estrela side low on confidence from consecutive heavy defeats, while back-to-back trips could leave the visitors fatigued.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.