Preview: Casa Pia vs. Rio Ave - prediction, team news, lineups

Having failed to win both home and away meetings between the sides last season, the Vilacondenses will be looking to get one over the hosts and pick up their first away win since March.

Match preview

Casa Pia were denied their first away win of the 2023-24 campaign as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Boavista when the sides squared off at the Estadio do Bessa last Sunday.

In-form striker Clayton broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute to hand the visitors a first-half lead but Pedro Malheiro restored parity three minutes after the interval to force a share of the spoils.

Prior to that, Filipe Martins's men kicked off the new Primeira Liga campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Farense on August 12, six days before suffering a 2-1 home defeat against Sporting Lisbon.

Casa Pia now return home where they have failed to win any of their last five matches, losing three and picking up two draws since a 2-0 victory over Maritimo on March 19.

Rio Ave, on the other hand, were left spitting feathers last weekend as they suffered a 2-1 loss to reigning champions Porto after bottling their lead in the stoppage time of the second half.

Despite being under the cosh at the Estadio dos Arcos, Costinha converted his 52nd-minute penalty to put Rio Ave in front against the run of play, but stoppage-time goals from Wenderson Galeno and Ivan Marcano helped Porto turn the game around.

Luis Freire's men kicked off the season with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Chaves on August 13 courtesy of goals from Leonardo Ruiz and Ze Manuel, one week before falling to a 2-0 loss away to Estoril Praia.

The Vilacondenses have now lost three of their five games across all competitions this season, including a 2-0 defeat against Arouca when the sides met in the Taca da Liga qualifiers on July 30.

While Rio Ave will head into the weekend looking to arrest their slump, they have struggled for results away from home, where they are winless in six straight competitive matches, losing four and picking up two draws since March's 2-0 victory at Santa Clara.

Casa Pia Primeira Liga form:

Casa Pia form (all competitions):

Rio Ave Primeira Liga form:

Rio Ave form (all competitions):

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Team News

Casa Pia remain without the services of Portuguese midfielder Kiki Silva, who has been sidelined since March through a muscle injury.

He is joined on the club's injury table by fellow countryman and midfield partner Rafael Brito, who came off injured in May's game against Estoril Praia.

With his opener against Boavista last time out, Clayton has now scored in each of Casa Pia's five games this season and the 24-year-old striker will be one to look out for.

Meanwhile, Rio Ave will be without first-choice goalkeeper Jhonatan, who has missed the last three games after coming off injured in the cup tie against Arouca on July 30.

In his absence, 23-year-old Magrao should retain his role between the sticks for the Vilacondenses, with Josue Sa, Aderllan Santos and Renato Pantalon forming the back three once again.

Casa Pia possible starting lineup:

Batista; Fernandes, Varela, Zolotic; Larrazabal, Roberto, Mukendi, Lelo; Soma, Clayton, Godwin

Rio Ave possible starting lineup:

Magrao; Sa, Santos, Pantalon; Costinha, Oudrhiri, Guga, Ronaldo; Joca, Ruiz, Hernani

We say: Casa Pia 2-1 Rio Ave

Looking at past results between Casa Pia and Rio Ave, we predict a cagey affair at the Estadio Municipal de Rio Maior on Saturday. While both sides are evenly matched on paper and have had almost identical starts to the campaign, we are tipping the Martins's side to make use of their home advantage in this one.

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