Looking to build on their first Primeira Liga victory in three matches, Moreirense welcome Estrela da Amadora to the Estadio Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas on Saturday afternoon.

The Minho hosts sit 10th in the Portuguese top-flight table with 11 points from nine matches, two places and one point above their visitors, who have slipped to 12th following a poor run of results.

Match preview

Moreirense have endured an inconsistent start to the campaign, winning three, drawing two and losing four of their opening nine league matches, but returned to winning ways last weekend with an impressive 3-1 victory away to Estoril Praia.

Vasco Botelho da Costa’s side had gone three games without a win across all competitions, including a Taca de Portugal defeat to AVS, but an explosive first-half display proved enough to secure all three points at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota.

Os verdes e brancos raced into a three-goal lead before the half-hour mark through Manuel Mendonca, Tiago Andrade and Nile John, leaving Peixinho’s stoppage-time effort as little more than a consolation and underlining the importance of fast starts.

All three of Moreirense’s league victories this season have come when they opened the scoring, and the hosts will look to take the initiative again on Saturday, although the Moreira de Conegos outfit have not won consecutive Primeira Liga matches since January.

Botelho da Costa’s side have also struggled for consistency at Joaquim de Almeida Freitas, collecting just four points from their four league matches at the ground this season to leave them with the sixth-worst home record in the division.

Estrela, meanwhile, travel north looking to arrest a worrying decline after making an encouraging start to the campaign, having gone unbeaten in their opening six league matches before losing each of their last three.

After suffering their first defeat of the season against Academico de Viseu on matchday seven, Pepa’s side were beaten by Arouca, and although a Taca de Portugal victory over lower-league Fazendense offered some respite, the Amadorans fell short again in their next top-flight outing.

Last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Casa Pia saw Estrela go three consecutive league matches without scoring for the first time since April, when a similar streak formed part of a wider spell that saw the Tricolours lose five successive matches and go seven games without a win.

Nevertheless, losing just once in their opening five Primeira Liga away matches (W1, D3) this season offers some encouragement to Saturday’s visitors, although only one victory in their last 13 top-flight outings on the road casts doubt over their ability to claim maximum points.

The head-to-head record offers little in the way of optimism for Estrela, who have recorded just one victory in 13 meetings between the sides across all competitions (D4, L8), while the Tricolores have failed to win any of their previous seven away matches in this fixture (D3, L4).
 

Moreirense Primeira Liga form:

Moreirense form (all competitions):

Estrela Amadora Primeira Liga form:

Estrela Amadora form (all competitions):

Team News

Moreirense could again be without Alexandre Parsemain, who sustained a left-leg injury while on international duty with Martinique, while Joao Veloso is a major doubt with a thigh problem.

Maracas missed the victory over Estoril through suspension following his dismissal in the domestic cup at AVS but is now available, giving Botelho da Costa a selection dilemma in central defence after Gilberto Batista and Kevyn Monteiro impressed as a pairing last weekend.

Leonardo Vonic could lead the line for a fifth consecutive league match, although Yan Maranhao remains an alternative, with the 24-year-old attacker yet to make a league start this season.

Estrela are monitoring the fitness of midfielder Robinho, who is nearing a return from the muscle injury that has kept him sidelined since September.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Arevalo remains a doubt, having yet to feature for the Tricolores since joining on loan from Stuttgart due to a back problem.

Leandro Antonetti is expected to lead the line, with the striker looking to rediscover his scoring touch after going six matches across all competitions without a goal, having previously found the net in each of Estrela’s opening four Primeira Liga fixtures.
 

Moreirense possible starting lineup:

Ferreira; Pinto, Batista, Maracas, Kiko; Liberato, John; Bodonso, Mendonca, Andrade; Vonic.

Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:

Linck; Scholze, Patrick, Lekovic, Soares; Serra, Doue; Marcus, Zvonarek, Stoica; Antonetti.

We say: Moreirense 2-0 Estrela Amadora

Moreirense should take confidence from their victory over Estoril and their strong historical record against Estrela, while the visitors’ recent struggles in front of goal make a home win the likeliest outcome in what could still be a closely contested encounter.
 

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