Preview: Rio Ave vs Alverca - prediction, team news, lineups

Two sides in contrasting form go head to head in round 28 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga as Rio Ave play host to Alverca at the Estadio dos Arcos on Saturday.

While the visitors will be out to snap their run of nine consecutive games without a win, the home side head into the weekend looking to secure a fourth win on the spin for the first time since April 2022.

Match preview

A rejuvenated Rio Ave side turned in a fine show of fighting spirit just before the international break when they fought back from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Estoril Praia on March 22.

Ferro’s 16th-minute strike saw Estoril Praia go into the half-time break in front at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, but Jakub Brabec restored parity in the 54th minute before Jalen Blesa completed the comeback with a 74th-minute penalty.

Having lost each of the six games between January 17 and February 22, Rio Ave have now gone four straight games without defeat, playing out a goalless draw with Famalicao on March 1 before claiming three consecutive victories over Tondela, Estrela Amadora and Estoril Praia.

This upturn in form has been in no small part owing to the solid job done at the defensive end of the pitch, where Sotiris Sylaidopoulos's men have conceded two goals and kept two clean sheets in their most recent four matches, having managed just two clean sheets from the previous 23 games.

Having blown hot and cold for most of the campaign, Rio Ave now look set to challenge for a top-half finish, as they sit 10th in the Primeira Liga standings with 30 points from 27 matches, two points behind ninth-placed Vitoria de Guimaraes heading into the final seven games.

In stark contrast, Alverca were outclassed and outplayed by title-chasers Sporting Lisbon last time out, as they fell to a 4-1 defeat when the two sides squared off at the Complexo Desportivo FC Alverca on March 22.

Goals from Luis Javier Suarez, Geny Catamo and a brace from Pedro Goncalves saw Sporting Lisbon cruise to all three points, with Serbian striker Marko Milovanovic getting on the scoresheet for the hosts in the 83rd minute.

Since kicking off the year with back-to-back wins over Famalicao and Moreirense, Alverca have failed to taste victory in nine consecutive Primeira Liga matches, losing three and claiming six draws while conceding 17 goals and scoring eight across the nine games.

This poor run of results has Custodio Castro’s men flirting with the prospect of relegation heading into the final seven games, as this weekend’s visitors sit 12th in the league standings, level on 29 points with 11th-placed Arouca and seven points above the dreaded bottom three.

While Alverca will look to find their feet this weekend, they are up against an opposing side whom they have failed to get the better of in the previous three meetings between the teams, losing twice and claiming one draw since November 2019.

Rio Ave Primeira Liga form:

Alverca Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Rio Ave remain without the services of Costa Rican midfielder Brandon Aguilera Zamora, who has missed each of the last seven games as he continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury.

Winter signing Blesa has quickly become a fan favourite, and the Spanish striker, who has netted five goals in seven appearances since his move from Cesena, will look to deliver the goods once again.

Blesa should spearhead the attack, alongside Diogo Bezerra and Croatian forward Dario Spikic, while Marios Vrousai, Jakub Brabec, Gustavo Mancha and Nelson Abbey should team up at the opposite end of the pitch.

As for Alverca, Castro will be unable to name the duo of Stephane Diarra and Spanish midfielder Tomas Mendes, who have both been ruled out through muscle injuries.

They are joined on the club’s injury table by 20-year-old Francisco Chissumba, who is set to sit out his fourth straight game since coming off injured against Tondela on February 13, while Ghanaian midfielder Sabit Abdulai has been sidelined since January.

Rio Ave possible starting lineup:

Van der Gouw; Vrousai, Brabec, Mancha, Abbey; Nikitscher, Ntoi; Bezerra, Pohlmann, Spikic; Blesa

Alverca possible starting lineup:

Gomes; Naves, Gomez, Meupiyou; Touaizi, Rhaldney, Lincoln, James; Figueiredo, Chiquinho, Lima

We say: Rio Ave 2-0 Alverca

After weeks of mediocre results, Rio Ave have hit their stride heading into the season’s run-in and we are backing them to extend their dominance in this fixture against an Alverca side who have failed to taste victory in nine straight matches.

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