Preview:Estrela Amadora vs Rio Ave - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams coming off elimination from the Portuguese Cup will square up on Saturday as Estrela Amadora welcome Rio Ave to Estadio Jose Gomes for round nine of the Primeira Liga.

Both sides were beaten by lower-division opponents – the Tricolours fell 3-1 to Alpendorada, while a 3-2 defeat to Sintrense also marked the end of Vilacondenses’s run in the Taca de Portugal.

Match preview

Last Friday’s domestic cup tie against fourth-tier Alpendorada looked the ideal opportunity for a new manager bounce at Estrela, but that hope was quickly dashed despite an early opener from Rodrigo Pinho.

Joao Nuno, who replaced Jose Augusto Faria, has now lost his first two matches in charge, having also suffered a 2-0 league defeat at Gil Vicente before the international break.

Estrela have endured a frustrating start to the Primeira Liga campaign, currently hovering just above the relegation playoff place after collecting seven points from eight matches (W1, D4, L3).

The Tricolours’s only win of the season so far came in a 3-0 triumph over AVS, who sit bottom of the standings – one of only three fixtures in which the Amadorans managed to find the net.

Estrela’s struggles in the attacking third are further underlined by their modest tally of six goals, better than only the bottom two teams, though it is worth noting that the Star boast a more solid defensive record than 11 other sides in the division, having conceded just eight.

While Nuno continues to search for answers up front, the Tricolours’s 1-0 success in the corresponding fixture could offer a sliver of encouragement, even if it remains their lone victory in the last seven meetings between the sides (D2, L4), including encounters in Liga 2.

Ave, who triumphed 2-0 in the reverse fixture last term, are chasing back-to-back Primeira Liga victories against Estrela for the first time in over two decades, last achieving such a feat between 2003 and 2005, when they won three in a row.

That said, Sunday’s Taca de Portugal defeat against fourth-tier Sintrense may have dampened spirits in the Vilacondenses camp, who had begun to gather momentum before the international break, going three league matches without defeat.

Draws away to Benfica (1-1) and Famalicao (0-0) were solid enough to inspire confidence against Tondela, as Sotiris Silaidopoulos’s men cruised to a 3-0 win at Estadio dos Arcos to claim their first league victory of the season.

That result lifted Ave’s points tally to eight, with 11 goals scored – an impressive return for a side sitting 12th, especially considering they have found the net more than 11 other teams in the division – though conceding 13 leaves the Rioavistas with the joint-fourth worst defensive record.

Vilacondenses’s other concern has been the inability to turn stalemates into wins, with a league-high five draws so far this season, but it remains to be seen how much momentum that Tondela victory can spark on Saturday.

Estrela Amadora Primeira Liga form:

Estrela Amadora form (all competitions):

Rio Ave Primeira Liga form:

Rio Ave form (all competitions):

Team News

Estrela remain without left-back Ni due to a metatarsal fracture, while centre-back Semeu Commey continues his recovery from injury and winger Jovane Cabral is again unavailable for selection.

Midfielder Robinho appears to have regained full fitness following back-to-back substitute appearances and could be handed a starting berth here.

Right-back Sidny Lopes Cabral and attacker Kikas are both expected to return to the starting XI after coming off the bench in the Taca de Portugal loss to Alpendorada.

For Ave, long-term absentee Theofanis Bakoulas remains sidelined, while Omar Richards faces a late fitness test to determine his availability.

Centre-back Jonathan Panzo should return to the heart of defence, with Nikolaos Athanasiou likely to resume his left-wing-back role after missing last Sunday’s fixture.

Clayton should be back in contention, having missed the Taca de Portugal tie after his red card in the last league outing, and the Brazilian – joint top scorer in the Primeira Liga with six goals – will once again be relied upon in attack.

Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:

Ribeiro; Patrick, Schappo, Chernev; Encada, Moreira, Ngom, S Cabral; Stoica, Pinho, Kikas

Rio Ave possible starting lineup:

Miszta; Petrasso, Brabec, Panzo; Vrousai, Aguilera, Graca, Athanasiou; Spikic, Clayton, Luiz

We say: Estrela Amadora 1-1 Rio Ave

Both sides enter this contest on the back of cup exits and have struggled to find consistency in the league, so with confidence still fragile in their respective camps, a low-scoring stalemate appears the most likely outcome, though the two teams could still find the net.

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