A freefalling Casa Pia will return to the Primeira Liga this weekend when they will take on Portimonense at Estadio Municipal de Rio Maior on Saturday evening.
The hosts have tumbled to 15th place in the league standings, with 10 points after 11 matches, while the visitors are in 10th place and four points ahead of their opponents.
Match preview
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The international break could not have come at a better time for Casa Pia, who lost four of their last five matches and failed to score a single goal in any of those defeats.
The Geese are currently the lowest-scoring team in the league, with just eight goals scored in 11 matches, though they do possess one of the best defensive records of just 13 goals conceded to date.
Still, that poor run of results was not just the second worst in the Portuguese top flight over the period but also led to the hosts shedding as many as four places in the league standings, now just one point above Rio Ave in the relegation playoff spot.
The hosts' last match was a painful 0-0 draw away to lower-division Nacional, which eventually ended in defeat after penalties and sent them crashing out of the Taca de Portugal.
Undoubtedly, Filipe Martins will know the importance of getting a positive result here with a tricky run of fixtures on the horizon.
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Meanwhile, Portimonense returned to competitive football last weekend, though they suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Sporting Braga, which sent them packing from the Taca de Portugal.
That was the second hefty loss they suffered against this same opponent in the space of three weeks, with the previous ending in a 6-1 hiding at the Braga Municipal Stadium at the start of November.
Alvinegros Marafados bounced back from that loss with a solid 2-1 win over Chaves a week later, though, and they will be aiming to do likewise in this one as they try to pull away from the drop zone.
Paulo Sergio's side have earned seven of their 10 points this season on the road, but they have let valuable points slip due to their leaky defence, which is the second worst in the division, with 25 goals conceded to date.
Team News
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The hosts could be without Kiki Silva and Rafael Brito for this match, with the midfield pair both flagged with muscle injuries, though the latter could still be available for selection if passed fit.
The attacking trio of Yuki Soma, Clayton, and Jaja have not found the net in the last two games, and Martins may be tempted to recall Felippe Cardoso to the starting lineup for this one.
Portimonense are set to be without goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura for an extended period, which means that Vinicius Silvestre will remain between the sticks for the foreseeable future.
Goncalo Costa was tossed straight back into action after returning from his three-match ban for his straight red against Vizela, and he should form the central midfield pairing alongside Mauricio in this match.
Casa Pia possible starting lineup:
Batista; Varela, Nunes, Zolotic; Lelo, Neto, Roberto, Geraldes; Soma, Cardoso, Jaja
Portimonense possible starting lineup:
Silvestre; Relvas, Alemao, Pedrao; Carlinhos, Mauricio, Costa, Marques; Varela, Jasper; Carrillo
We say: Casa Pia 0-1 Portimonense
Nothing seems to be clicking for Casa Pia at the moment, and their lack of goals this season does not bode well for their chances of avoiding the drop. Portimonense will be licking their lips at this one, knowing that their opponents are in a bad way. We are expecting a low-scoring affair here and feel as though the first goal could end up being the winner.
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