Vitoria de Guimaraes will look to return to winning ways when they host Casa Pia for round 24 of the Primeira Liga on Saturday.
The Conquerors have now gone three matches without a victory, sitting eighth in the standings with 31 points, four behind the visitors, who sit two places above after grinding out a hard-fought win in their last outing.
Match preview
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Vitoria will take encouragement from last weekend's 1-1 draw at Porto, where they salvaged a late point in dramatic fashion — stretching what feels more like a four-match unbeaten run than a winless streak.
The home side had gone ahead in the 66th minute through Fabio Vieira, but a spirited fightback saw Luis Freire's men level through Umaro Embalo just four minutes from regulation time.
That result marked a second successive draw under Freire, who had overseen a goalless stalemate against Braga in his first match since taking charge on January 15.
Vitoria have endured a difficult spell, going without a league win between December 7 and January 26 — sharing the spoils in five and losing two — while their only success in the last 11 top-flight outings remains a 2-0 victory over AVS, wedged between that barren run and their ongoing drought.
Earlier in the campaign, defensive frailties had been their undoing, conceding 14 goals in that seven-match stretch while netting 12, but in recent weeks, the struggles have shifted to the attacking third.
Barring the win against AVS, Vitoria have netted just once in their last three matches, failing to score in two — a concern Freire will be eager to address as he seeks his first victory in charge.
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Meanwhile, Casa Pia arrive at this clash fresh from a 1-0 home victory over Gil Vicente, with Andrian Kraev netting the decisive goal five minutes after the break.
That result continued a curious trend for the Geese, who have alternated between wins and losses in their last five matches, though they now boast four victories in their last six, having edged past Boavista before that.
While Casa Pia will be eager to break that pattern with a positive result, they will hope history repeats itself at Vitoria, where they have won both of their previous visits.
Further underlining their penchant for recurring trends, Joao Pereira's side played out a 1-1 stalemate in the reverse fixture in September, mirroring the outcome of their two previous home matches, and they will hope their fortunes remain as consistent on their travels.
Team News
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Having seemingly come through the Porto match unscathed, Vitoria are set to be without long-term absentees Bruno Gaspar and Gustavo Silva once again on Saturday.
Mikel Villanueva, however, is back in contention after serving a suspension in the previous match, having accumulated the maximum yellow card count.
Casa Pia could be without their leading scorer Cassiano for a second straight game due to injury, potentially paving the way for Max Svensson to retain his place in the number nine role.
Meanwhile, Kraev, who netted the winner last time out, is a doubt after being forced off in the 61st minute following a stoppage for treatment, while Claudio Mendes (sprained ankle) and Kiki (unspecified injury) remain sidelined.
Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting lineup:
Varela; Maga, Borevkovic, Villanueva, Mendes; Handel, Silva; Arcanjo, Mendes, Felix; Oliveira
Casa Pia possible starting lineup:
Sequeira; Tchamba, Fonte, Goulart; Larrazabal, Brito, Sousa, Lelo; Livolant, Svensson, Moreira
We say: Vitoria de Guimaraes 1-1 Casa Pia
Although Casa Pia have enjoyed success on their visits to Vitoria, extending that flawless record could prove challenging this weekend, given the hosts' resilience in recent outings.
However, the home side's difficulty in turning draws into victories may persist, with their improved defence and struggles in the final third pointing towards a low-scoring stalemate.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
