Preview: Gil Vicente vs Vitoria de Guimaraes - prediction, team news, lineups

Gil Vicente will look to get their European push back on track as they welcome Vitoria de Guimaraes for Saturday’s all-Minho clash at Estadio Cidade de Barcelos.

With five games left to play, the Roosters sit sixth in the Primeira Liga table, one point behind fifth-placed Famalicao, while the Conquerors are ninth and a sizeable 11 points adrift of the top five.

Match preview

For a side that has finished in the lower half of the table in each of the last three campaigns, Gil’s current position suggests they are enjoying a fine season, but failure to crack the top five could still leave fans of the Roosters with a sense of what might have been.

Cesar Peixoto’s side have spent the majority of the season in the continental places, and while a seven-game winless run (D6, L1) between November and January saw them relinquish fourth place, victory over Braga helped them reclaim that spot.

Since then, however, the Barcelos club have managed just one victory in seven (D3, L3) matches, with that lone success coming against bottom-placed AVS, while recent outings have continued a worrying pattern of letting points slip late on.

Gil have dropped five points in stoppage time across three of their last four matches, conceding in such moments in a draw against Alverca, a loss at Santa Clara and last weekend’s 2-2 stalemate at relegation-threatened Tondela.

Carlos Eduardo's 90th-minute strike looked to have sealed all three points for the Roosters before Joseph Hodge rescued a point for the hosts at the death, spelling a dramatic end to the encounter at Estadio Joao Cardoso

Pioxoto’s men have now conceded at least twice in five of their last seven fixtures, while managing just two clean sheets in their last 16 league outings, a stark contrast to their opening 13 matches, where they recorded nine shutouts.

That said, a return to Barcelos should offer some encouragement for Gil, who have won four of their last six home matches (D1, L1), with the team looking to capitalise as fourth-placed Braga and fifth-placed Famalicao face each other this weekend.

Like the hosts, Vitoria have managed just one victory in their last seven matches (D2, L4), with that sole success coming in an emphatic win over Tondela, marking Gil Moreira Lameiras’ first and only triumph in four games since taking over on March 10.

The Conquerors failed to build on that result, having played out a 1-1 draw at AVS last weekend in a contest where Gustavo Silva’s effort midway through the first half was cancelled out by Tomane three minutes later.

That outcome further dented Vitoria’s hopes of making a return to the continental stage, having also fallen short last term when back-to-back defeats in their final two matches saw them relinquish fifth place, finishing three points behind Santa Clara, who claimed the spot.

Needing a perfect run in their remaining five fixtures to even stand a chance of a European berth, the Guimaraes club must also contend with a poor away record this weekend, as they are winless in each of their last six outings on the road (D1, L5).

However, recent head-to-head meetings offer some encouragement for Vitoria, who have recorded victory in three of the last four encounters with Gil, including their last visit to Barcelos, though the only game they failed to win in that sequence was a goalless draw in this season’s reverse fixture.

Gil Vicente Primeira Liga form:

Vitoria de Guimaraes Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Gil Vicente will remain without French defender Marvin Elimbi, who is set to miss a third straight outing after coming off injured against Santa Clara on March 21.

Meanwhile, midfielder Mohamed Bamba is still nursing an issue that has kept him sidelined since early February, while forward Hector Hernandez is likely to be unavailable for a fifth straight match due to a muscle problem.

Twenty-five-year-old central midfielder Ze Carlos will return to contention here following his suspension last time out, though he may have to settle for a place on the bench.

Meanwhile Jonathan Mutombo could get a few minutes after being named as an unused substitute in that encounter following a lengthy lay-off.

Eduardo is pushing for a starting berth up front after finding the net as a substitute against Tondela, so it would not be a surprise if Gustavo Varela drops to the bench for this one.

Meanwhile, Vitoria have an almost clean bill of health, though Alioune Ndoye has been unavailable for selection in the last two outings, making him a major doubt for this encounter.

Head coach Lameiras has named an unchanged line-up in the last two matches, and that could be the case again here, with Gustavo Silva likely to lead the line once more after scoring in back-to-back appearances.

Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:

Figueira; Konan, Buatu, Espigares, Ze Carlos (defender); Caseres, S Garcia; Moreira, Esteves; Souza; Varela

Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting lineup:

Charles; Strata, Balieiro, Rivas, Mendes; G Nogueira, Mukendi; M Nogueira, Samu, Camara; G Silva

We say: Gil Vicente 2-0 Vitoria de Guimaraes

Neither side enters this encounter in strong form, but with Gil having more riding on the clash, they should have enough to prevail here, especially considering their solidity on home soil this season, with Vitoria’s struggles on their travels further strengthening that case.

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