Famalicao will be looking to build on their midweek Taca de Portugal victory when they lock horns with Gil Vicente at the Estadio Municipal de Famalicao in round 20 of the Primeira Liga on Sunday.
As for the Gilistas, they head into the weekend unbeaten in their last three games against the home side and will be looking to continue in the same vein.
Match preview
© Reuters
Famalicao turned in a performance of the highest quality as they cruised to an emphatic 4-1 victory over Segunda Liga side Belenenses last Wednesday.
After goalkeeper Goncalo Tabuaco scored a first-half own goal, Jhonder Cadiz netted a two-minute brace to extend the lead, and after Ruben Oliveira pulled one back for the visitors, Ivan Jaime netted in the 68th minute to restore the three-goal lead.
Famalicao now turn their attention to the Primeira Liga, where they were denied consecutive wins for the first time this year on February 5 courtesy of a 4-1 loss away to Braga.
However, the Vila Nova will be backing themselves to build on Wednesday's cup triumph as they are unbeaten in five of their last six home matches in the league — claiming four wins and one draw — with November's 2-1 loss against Sporting Lisbon being the exception.
Famalicao have picked up six wins, three draws and lost 10 of their 19 matches to collect 21 points and sit 13th in the Primeira Liga standings, two points and one place above Sunday's visitors.
© Reuters
Gil Vicente, on the other hand, failed to return to winning ways last time out as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Arouca when the sides squared off last weekend.
In a cagey affair at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos, Oday Dabbagh and Brazilian midfielder Vitor Carvalho scored for either side to force a share of the spoils.
Prior to that, Daniel Sousa's men were denied a third league win on the bounce on January 31, when they were beaten 2-1 by Pacos de Ferreira at the Estadio Capital do Movel.
Gil Vicente's poor campaign has been owing to their struggles away from home, where they are currently on a run of five league defeats in six matches since the second week of September.
Off the back of a fifth-placed finish last season, Gil Vicente's underwhelming first half of the 2022-23 campaign sees them face the risk of returning to the second tier for the first time since 2018 as they scramble for points at the wrong end of the table.
While the Barcelos-based outfit will be looking to arrest their slump and get their season back on track, they journey to the Estadio Municipal de Famalicao, where they are winless in five of their last seven visits since February 2016.
Team News
© Reuters
Famalicao will take to the pitch without the services of Jose Luis Rodriguez, who has been sidelined since picking up a knee injury in November.
He is joined on the Vila Nova injury table by 22-year-old forward Theo Fonseca, who has been out of action since suffering season-ending ACL injury in October.
With his brace in the cup game against Belenenses, Cadiz has now been involved in six goals in his last seven matches and we expect the Venezuelan to spearhead the hosts' attack once again.
Fran Navarro has also been a standout performer for Gil Vicente this season and the Spanish forward, who has 12 league goals to his name, will be tasked with providing the goals for the visitors.
On the injury front, the Gilistas will be without Brazilian forward Lucas Barros, who continues his long road to full fitness after suffering an ACL injury last May.
Famalicao possible starting lineup:
Junior; Penetra, Riccieli, Mihaj, Moura; Youssouf, Colombatto; Kadile, Jaime, Felipe; Cadiz
Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Kritsyuk; Carraca, Lopes, Araujo, Marin; Tiba, Aburjania; Souza, Fujimoto, Alipour; Navarro
We say: Famalicao 2-1 Gil Vicente
With just two points separating Famalicao and Gil Vicente in the league table, we anticipate an end-to-end affair with both sides taking the game to each other in search of the upper hand. The Vila Nova have put together a solid home run in recent weeks and we are backing them to come away with a slender victory
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
