Preview:AVS vs Gil Vicente - prediction, team news, lineups

AVS set out in search of their first win of the Portuguese Primeira Liga campaign when they take on Gil Vicente at the Estadio do Desportivo das Aves on Sunday.

The Gilistas, on the other hand, head into the weekend seeking a fifth home win on the bounce as they look to strengthen their position in the upper echelons of the league standings.

Match preview

Ten games into the 2025-26 campaign, AVS are the only side yet to register a win in the league, with relegation fears already growing, as they find themselves scrambling for results at the wrong end of the standings.

Joao Pedro Sousa’s men have picked up just two points from the first 30 available, losing eight games already, to sit rock-bottom in the league table, seven points away from safety.

Central to AVS’s underwhelming performance has been their defensive vulnerability, with the Vila das Aves outfit conceding 24 goals already while netting seven at the opposite end of the pitch.

This was on show last Sunday, when AVS played out a 2-2 draw with fellow strugglers Tondela at the Estadio do Desportivo das Aves after giving up their lead from the penalty spot in the 71st minute.

While AVS will be looking to stop the rot this weekend, results at home offer little optimism, as they have failed to win 12 of their 13 matches at the Estadio do Desportivo das Aves since the start of February, losing nine games in that time.

Coming off the back of a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, Gil Vicente can take pride in their performance this season as they look set to challenge for European qualification.

The Gilistas sit fourth in the Primeira Liga table and have picked up seven wins already, one shy of their total tally for last season when they secured a 13th-placed finish in the league.

Gil Vicente’s impressive string of results has been owing to the solid job done in defence, as they have conceded the joint second-fewest number of goals (4), while netting 15 at the opposite end of the pitch.

Cesar Peixoto’s men have also made the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos a fortress this season, as they boast the second-best home record, having picked up four wins and one draw from their five home games so far.

Gilistas head into the weekend off the back of securing their sixth win in seven games last Monday, when they held their own to secure a 1-0 victory over Santa Clara thanks to a ninth-minute strike from in-form striker Pablo Felipe.

AVS Primeira Liga form:

AVS form (all competitions):

Gil Vicente Primeira Liga form:

Gil Vicente form (all competitions):

Team News

AVS will take to the pitch without the services of Spanish defender Guillem Molina, who has been sidelined since suffering a fibula injury back in August.

Molina is joined on the club’s injury table by fellow countryman Angel Algobia, who has missed the last four matches, while Brazilian defender Aderllan Santos is set to sit out his seventh consecutive game.

With his strike against Santa Clara, Felipe has now moved top of the Primeira Liga scoring chart with eight goals in 10 matches, and the 21-year-old striker will be one to look out for this weekend.

Felipe, who has been instrumental in Gil Vicente’s solid start to the season, should lead the attack once again, alongside Murilo Souza, while Uruguayan forward Martin Fernandez.

On the injury front, the Gilistas remain without the services of Mohamed Bamba and Carlos Eduardo, while Joelson Fernandes is a doubt after coming off injured against Santa Clara last time out.

AVS possible starting lineup:

Goncalves; Semedo, Bane, Devenish; Spencer, Grau, Assuncao, Kiki; Barbosa, Tomane, Perea

Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:

Andrew; Ze Carlos (defender), Elimbi, Mananga; Konan, Caseres, Ze Carlos (midfielder), Souza; Garcia, Fernandes, Felipe

We say: AVS 0-2 Gil Vicente

Gil Vicente will be licking their lips as they welcome the challenge of a struggling AVS side still seeking their first win of the campaign. The Gilistas are in fine form in the league, with seven wins in the last eight games, and we predict that they will come away with all three points at the Estadio do Desportivo das Aves this weekend.

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