Preview: Estoril Praia vs Rio Ave - prediction, team news, lineups

Both aiming to secure their first win of the 2026-27 Primeira Liga campaign, Estoril Praia and Rio Ave go head to head at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on Saturday.

The two meetings between both teams last season saw a combined seven goals scored, setting the stage for another entertaining encounter this weekend as they look to get their league campaigns off the mark.

Match preview

Playing on the road for the first time this season, Estoril Praia were outplayed by a spirited Nacional side when the two teams squared off at the Estadio da Madeira last Sunday.

With Xeka receiving his marching orders in the 32nd minute, Nacional made the most of their numerical advantage in the second half as Ze Vitor and Leo Santos netted in an 11-minute spell to hand the hosts a 2-0 victory.

This followed a 1-1 stalemate against Famalicao in a promising league-opening display on August 7, when Yanis Begraoui netted in the 72nd minute to cancel out Georgios Koutsias’s first-half opener and hand Estoril a share of the spoils.

It has been a slow start to life at the helm of affairs for the Canarinhos head coach Vasco Matos, who put pen to paper on a two-year contract, having left his role in charge of Santa Clara in January after three years in the Azores Islands.

With last weekend’s defeat, Estoril Praia have now gone 10 straight Primeira Liga matches without a win, extending from last season, when they failed to taste victory in their closing eight games, claiming just two points from the final 24 available to finish 10th in the standings.

Following an outstanding display in pre-season, where they picked up four wins and one draw from their five warm-up games, Rio Ave have stumbled into the new campaign, suffering two defeats from their opening two matches.

The Vilacondenses were left spitting feathers in the season opener on August 9, when they fell to a 1-0 loss against Gil Vicente courtesy of an 87th-minute strike from Hector Hernandez, before suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Porto last weekend.

Despite netting 15 goals across their five friendly games, Rio Ave’s slow start to the season has been owing to their lack of cutting edge in attack, highlighting a key weakness from last season when they managed just 35 goals in 34 Primeira Liga matches.

Sotiris Sylaidopoulos’s men head into Saturday’s matchup without a win in seven consecutive Primeira Liga games, a run which saw them finish 12th in the league standings last season, suffering a drop from their 11th-placed finish in the 2024-25 campaign.

With Rio Ave seeking to finally find their feet this weekend, their recent record at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota could prove a source of optimism, as they are unbeaten in nine of their 11 visits across all competitions since October 2010, picking up eight wins and one draw.

Estoril Praia Primeira Liga form:

Estoril Praia form (all competitions):

Rio Ave Primeira Liga form:

Rio Ave form (all competitions):

Team News

Estoril Praia will have to cope without Portuguese midfielder Xeka, who is suspended for this weekend’s matchup after picking up a red card against Nacional last time out.

In his absence, 22-year-old Tiago Brito should come into the fold, forming the midfield pivot with Antef Tsoungui, while Ricard Sanchez, Ferro, Ismael Sierra and Fernando Medrano should team up at the defensive end of the pitch.

As for Rio Ave, Ryan Guilherme missed last weekend’s game against Porto after coming off injured in the season curtain-raiser against Gil Vicente on August 9 and the Brazilian midfielder is out of contention for the trip to Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota.

He is joined on the Vilacondenses’ injury table by Brandon Aguilera, who has been ruled out since January through a knee injury, while 23-year-old Joao Tome is recuperating from a muscle problem.

First-choice goalkeeper Cezary Miszta has also been ruled out of Saturday’s game through injury, meaning 26-year-old Ennio van der Gouw will get the nod once again between the sticks for Rio Ave.

Estoril Praia possible starting lineup:

Robles; Sanchez, Ferro, Sierra, Medrano; Brito, Tsoungui; Guitane, Carvalho, Lacximicant; Begraoui

Rio Ave possible starting lineup:

Van der Gouw; Abbey, Mancha, Petrasso, Vrousai; Nascimento, Nikitscher; Galcik, Blesa, Bezerra; Tamble

We say: Estoril Praia 2-2 Rio Ave

Meetings between Estoril and Rio Ave have often served up fireworks in the past, and with both sides aiming to get their first win on the board this weekend, we anticipate another action-packed contest at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota.

While home advantage gives the Canarinhos an edge, Rio Ave boast an impressive away record in this fixture, and we predict they will do just enough to frustrate the hosts to a share of the spoils.

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