Round 24 of the Primeira Liga entertains us with an exciting bottom-of-the-table dogfight on Saturday as 18th-placed Pacos de Ferreira play host to 17th-placed Santa Clara.
With both sides currently separated by three places in the automatic relegation zone, this weekend's clash could be pivotal in their respective races to beat the drop.
Match preview
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Pacos de Ferreira were denied consecutive away victories for the first time since March 2022 as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Casa Pia when the sides met at the Estadio Pina Manique on Monday.
After Paulo Bernardo broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time to hand the visitors a deserved first-half lead, a 67th-minute own goal from Maracas and Fernando Varela's 76th-minute strike helped Os Gansos turn the game around in the second half.
Cesar Peixoto's men have now lost three of their four matches since the start of February — scoring five goals and conceding seven in that time — with a 3-1 win at Estoril Praia on February 18 being the exception.
Having finished 11th in the league last season, the Pacenses' underwhelming 2022-23 campaign has been owing to their struggles on home turf, where they currently hold the division's worst record, with just five points from their 12 matches so far.
Pacos de Ferreira have won just three league games this season, while claiming three draws and losing 17 of their 23 matches to collect 12 points and sit rooted to the bottom of the Primeira Liga table, three points below Saturday's visitors and four off the relegation playoff spot.
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Elsewhere, newly-appointed manager Danildo Accioly was denied a dream start to his reign as Santa Clara boss as he watched his side suffer a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Vitoria de Guimaraes on Monday.
In a one-sided affair at the Estadio de Sao Miguel, a brace from Allison Safira and Andre Silva's 44th-minute strike put the visitors in a commanding three-goal lead heading into the half-time break before Rildo pulled one back with a 64th-minute strike.
Os Acoreanos have now lost each of their last four matches and gone 14 consecutive games without a win across all competitions, losing 11 games and claiming three draws since their 3-1 victory over Estoril Praia in November.
This poor run saw Jorge Simao, who assumed position as Santa Clara manager on January 11, relieved of his duties seven games into his tenure after picking up just two points from a possible 21.
While Santa Clara will be looking to stop the rot, they have struggled for results away from home this season, where they have managed just one win and lost 11 of 14 matches across all competitions.
Team News
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Pacos de Ferreira will be without the services of Portuguese youngster Matchoi Djalo, who missed last week's trip to Casa Pia through a muscle injury.
With his goal in the aforementioned game, Bernardo now has two goal involvements in his three matches since joining on loan from Benfica and we expect the 21-year-old to retain his role in the XI.
Meanwhile, Santa Clara will once again have to cope without veteran goalkeeper Marco Rocha, who suffered a severe hamstring injury in October.
He is joined on the club's injury table by Portuguese defender Tomas Domingos, who continues his long road to full fitness after picking up an ACL injury last May.
Pierre Sagna has missed each of the last seven matches after picking up an injury in January and the Senegalese defender will play no part in Saturday's contest.
Pacos de Ferreira possible starting lineup:
Marafona; Delgado, Lima, Maracas, Antunes; Bernardo, Pires, Thomas; Holsgrove, Gaitan, Butzke
Santa Clara possible starting lineup:
Batista; Nanu, Boateng, Italo, Quintilla; Almeida, Firmino, Misao; Ricardinho, Tagawa, Silva
We say: Pacos de Ferreira 1-1 Santa Clara
With just three points separating Pacos de Ferreira and Santa Clara at the bottom of the table, we anticipate a thrilling contest with both sides taking the game to each other in search of a crucial victory. However, we predict that they will cancel out each other's efforts and settle for a share of the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
