Preview: Estrela Amadora vs. Porto - prediction, team news, lineups

Porto will aim to extend their unbeaten start to the Primeira Liga season when they face top-flight newcomers Estrela Amadora at Estadio Jose Gomes on Friday evening.

The Dragons have already picked up three wins and one draw this term, while Estrela have taken four points from a possible 12 following promotion from the second tier.

Match preview

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Estrela Amadora endured a difficult to start life in the top flight, suffering back-to-back defeats against Vitoria de Guimaraes and Benfica without scoring a single goal, but Sergio Vieira's men managed to pick up a couple of positive results before the international break.

The Tricolours claimed their first win of the season in dramatic fashion, snatching a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Estoril Praia thanks to a 100th-minute winner from Leo Cordeiro, who arrived from Marfa during the summer transfer window.

Buoyed by that triumph, Estrela held Portimonense to a 1-1 draw in their previous match, with Brazilian forward Ronald converting the visitors' only attempt on target.

Estrela Amadora lost just three of their 34 league games last season before winning the playoffs to secure promotion, so Vieira will be eager to build on that success and transform the club into a top-flight regular in the coming years.

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Although Porto remain unbeaten after four games, it would not be unfair to say that Sergio Conceicao's side have struggled to find their rhythm during the early stages of the campaign.

After coming from behind to beat Moreirense 2-1 on the opening weekend, the Dragons required a stoppage-time winner from Ivan Marcano to defeat Farense by the same scoreline a week later, despite racking up 31 shots while enjoying the lion's share of possession on home soil.

Remarkably, Porto registered a third successive 2-1 victory as they snatched all three points against Rio Ave, with Galeno equalising in the 91st minute before another last-gasp Marcano winner.

Having rescued a point against Arouca last time out - scoring a 109th-minute equaliser through Evanilson - the Dragons will be desperate to establish some consistency after the international break to end their reliance on stoppage-time goals.

Team News

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Estrela Amadora manager Sergio Vieira will likely deploy his favoured 3-4-3 formation on Friday, meaning that Johnstone Omurwa, Miguel Lopes and Kialonda Gaspar will line up in defence.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Leo Jaba and Ronald will be joined in the forward line by 24-year-old striker Ronaldo Tavares, who chalked up seven goals and four assists across all competitions last season.

Porto, on the other hand, could be without as many as five first-team players for the trip to Amadora, with veteran centre-back Pepe and former Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic joining Gabriel Veron, Romario Baro and Francisco Conceicao on the club's injury list.

Following the summer departure of key winger Otavio, Brazilian attackers Pepe and Galeno are expected to continue on the flanks, offering attacking support to strikers Mehdi Taremi and Toni Martinez.

Highly-rated goalkeeper Diogo Costa will resume his spot between the sticks, with Fabio Cardoso and Ivan Marcano continuing their centre-back partnership in the absence of Pepe.

Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:

Bruno; Omurwa, Lopes, Gaspar; Hevertton, Cordeiro, Aloisio, Shinga; Jaba, Tavares, Ronald

Porto possible starting lineup:

Costa; Mario, Cardoso, Marcano, Wendell; Pepe, Gonzalez, Estaquio, Galeno; Taremi, Martinez

We say: Estrela Amadora 1-3 Porto

Porto have not done things the easy way this season, but last season's runners-up should be able to get the better of Estrela Amadora, who are still adapting to life in the top flight.

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