Preview: Braga vs. Maritimo - prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking to pick up their first Primeira Liga victory in front of their home fans this season, Braga welcome Maritimo to the Estadio Braga Municipal on Sunday.

O Maior das Ilhas, on the other hand, will be desperate to get their campaign up and running as they head into the weekend on a run of two defeats from their first two games.

Match preview

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Braga picked up their first win of the new Primeira Liga campaign in style as they saw off Famalicao 3-0 when the sides squared off last Friday.

In a one-sided affair at the Estadio Municipal de Famalicao, Nuno Sequeira opened the scoring in the 13th minute before Simon Banza scored a brace to condemn the hosts to a second consecutive defeat.

Prior to that, Artur Jorge's side turned in a resilient team performance as they came back from behind on three different occasions to salvage a 3-3 draw with Sporting Lisbon in their league curtain-raiser on August 7.

Braga head into the weekend unbeaten in each of their last seven games across all competitions, claiming six wins and one draw while scoring 23 goals and keeping three clean sheets since May's 3-2 loss against Famalicao.

Os Arcebispos, who secured a fourth-placed finish in the Primeira Liga last season, have also picked up three wins and one draw from their last four home games in the league, dating back to a 1-0 loss against Gil Vicente back in March.

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Elsewhere, Maritimo were left empty handed for the second consecutive game as they fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat against newly-promoted Chaves last Monday.

Joao Teixeira and Joao Bachi scored second-half goals to cancel out Joel Tagueu's 39th-minute opener and hand the Flavienses their first top-flight victory since gaining promotion last season.

This followed a 5-1 humbling at the hands of Porto in their league opener on August 6 when goals from Evanilson, Ivan Marcano, Toni Martinez and a brace from Mehdi Taremi saw the Dragoes kick off their title defence with a bang.

While Maritimo will be looking to pick up their first victory and get their campaign up and running, next up is a trip to the Estadio Braga Municipal where they are winless in 14 of their last 16 visits since 2009.

O Maior das Ilhas are also on a run of five consecutive away games without a win in the Primeira Liga, picking up three draws and losing twice since March's 1-0 victory at Moreirense.

Team News

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Having watched his side ease to all three points last weekend, Jorge could name an unchanged starting XI once again, meaning that we could see a back four of Fabiano Silva, Vitor Tormena, Sikou Niakate and Sequeira.

At the centre of the park, Iuri Medeiros, Mutassim Al Musrati, Andre Horta and Ricardo Horta have all started the opening two games and we expect them to retain their roles in midfield once again.

Newly-signed striker Banza has announced his arrival in style as the 26-year-old Frenchman, who has three goals in the first two games, should spearhead the attack, alongside Vitor Oliveira who netted seven league goals last season

Meanwhile, Maritimo will take to the pitch without the services of 28-year-old defender Rafael Brito after the Benfica loanee recently picked up a muscle injury.

Former Gil Vicente midfielder Joao Afonso awaits his debut for Vasco Seabra's men as he continues his return to full fitness after coming off injured back in May.

Diogo Mendes was forced off the pitch with a game-ending injury three minutes into the second half last time out and the 24-year-old midfielder is a major doubt for the visitors.

Braga possible starting lineup:

Lima; Fabiano, Tormena, Niakate, Sequeira; Medeiros, Horta, Al-Musrati; Horta, Banza, Oliveira

Maritimo possible starting lineup:

Silva; Winck, Costa, Junior, China; Teles, Sousa, Beltrame; Xadas, Vidigal, Tagueu

We say: Braga 2-0 Maritimo

Buoyed by an emphatic victory over Famalicao, Braga will head into Sunday with renewed confidence as they look to put together an early run of form. Maritimo have stumbled into the new campaign and we expect the home side to extend their dominance in this fixture by coming away with all three points once again.

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