Preview: Santa Clara vs Alverca - prediction, team news, lineups

Santa Clara will draw inspiration from their spirited display over the weekend as they welcome Alverca to Estadio de Sao Miguel on Saturday for matchday six of the Primeira Liga.

The hosts secured valuable points last time out, holding Benfica to a 1-1 draw to extend their unbeaten run to three games, while their newly promoted visitors arrive on the back of their first victory of the campaign.

Match preview

Playing against the Reds at Estadio da Luz is daunting in itself, let alone doing so with ten men for more than half of the contest, but Santa Clara scaled through the adversity to take something back from Lisbon.

Midfielder Paulo Victor was sent off in the 38th minute, and Benfica took the lead shortly before the hour mark, but the Azoreans broke all odds to grab an injury-time equaliser as substitute Vinicius Lopes pounced on a Nicolas Otamendi error.

Head coach Vasco Matos will be buoyed by his team’s display in the last couple of outings, especially given Os Açorianos had failed to win any of their six matches prior, a run that also saw them miss out on the Conference League main stage.

Picking up a point against Benfica is as good as a win against most sides in the Primeira Liga, so Matos will be pleased, particularly with the result coming right after his side secured their first victory of this season’s top flight.

Santa Clara have now collected five points from as many league matches, sitting 11th in the table, and the side appears to be gradually regaining momentum to challenge for a return to the heights of last season.

The Azoreans, who achieved their best-ever top-flight finish by placing fifth last term, know victory here would edge them closer to those heights, though they face a tricky test against visitors who have proved stubborn in this fixture of late.

Alverca have turned the tide in recent meetings, going from losing the first three clashes with Santa Clara to going unbeaten in the next three, winning two of those.

The most recent meeting was a goalless draw in 2005 at Sao Miguel when both clubs were in Liga 2, meaning the Vila Franca de Xira side have not conceded in the last two editions of this encounter.

Alverca, who returned to the top flight this season after more than two decades away, will be optimistic of extending their good run against Santa Clara after a result that could act as a springboard to stability, following last weekend’s hard-fought win over Tondela.

Custodio Castro’s side had goalkeeper Andre Gomes to thank for that 1-0 triumph against fellow newcomers, as the 20-year-old pulled off several crucial interventions, including a first-half penalty save before Emmanuel Maviram’s own goal sealed the contest.

The newcomers sit 13th in the table with four points from five matches, and anything other than defeat will be seen as progress as they look to steer clear of a relegation scrap later in the season.

Santa Clara Primeira Liga form:

Santa Clara form (all competitions):

Alverca Primeira Liga form:

Alverca form (all competitions):

Team News

Victor will serve a suspension for his dismissal last time out, which could see Matheus Pereira drop into midfield, opening space on the wing.

Meanwhile, Lopes may get the nod out wide after his late equaliser against Benfica handed the Azoreans a priceless point.

Winger Chiquinho missed the Tondela clash through injury but should be fit to return, though fellow wide man Leo Chu remains sidelined.

Midfielder Lincoln impressed when deployed out wide last time out, so it would be no surprise if the Brazilian retained his spot in that role.

Santa Clara possible starting lineup:

Batista; MT, Lima, Venancio; Pereira, Firmino, Serginho, Soares; Lopes, Silva, Brenner

Alverca possible starting lineup:

Gomes; Meupiyou, Gomez, Naves; James, Amorim, Mendes, Touaizi; Lincoln, Milovanovic, Chiquinho

We say: Santa Clara 1-0 Alverca

Both teams come into this match lifted by their recent results, but Santa Clara still look the favourites given their greater pedigree in the top flight and added home advantage.

However, goals may be scarce, with the Azoreans not firing freely in the final third, so a single strike could be enough to settle matters.

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