Preview: Famalicao vs. Moreirense - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts got their league season off to a very promising start, beating Sporting Braga last week, while the visitors suffered a defeat to Porto by the same scoreline.

Match preview

Famalicao will be hoping to maintain their positive start to the 2023-24 season after failing to secure European football last season, as they slumped to a poor end to the league campaign.

The hosts were unable to register a single victory in their last five league games of the season and only managed to take two points in that time, which saw them end the campaign in eighth for the second season in a row.

Over the course of the season, Famalicao managed 44 points in 34 games and recorded 13 wins, five draws and 16 losses, scoring 39 and conceding 47 goals in that time.

Last week, Joao Pedro Sousa's side went into their opening fixture against Braga as the 4/1 underdog but defied the odds, picking up a 2-1 win with Afonso Rodrigues and Oscar Aranda both finding the net.

They will now come into this match with bags of confidence and are heavily backed to secure another win in this one, having got the better of this opponent in recent times and unbeaten in their last two encounters.

Meanwhile, Moreirense earned promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking following relegation in the 2021-22 campaign when they finished in 16th place.

The visitors won Liga Portugal 2 last season by a solid margin, finishing with 79 points in their 34 league matches, which was a full 10 points clear of their closest rivals Farense, who finished in second.

Paulo Alves's side recorded 24 wins, seven draws and three losses in the league and ended the campaign with five straight wins in their final five fixtures and unbeaten in their last seven, scoring two or more goals in six of those matches.

However, they were quickly reminded of the step up in class this season as they were beaten 2-1 by Porto last week, though the scoreline arguably does not tell the whole story as they were clearly second best in the match and could have been three or four behind by the final whistle.

Still, they would have taken a few positives from that match, including Godfried Frimpong scoring the match opener and a wholehearted defensive performance which they will aim to reproduce in this match as they search for their first points of the season.

Famalicao Primeira Liga form:

Famalicao form (all competitions):

Moreirense Primeira Liga form:

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Moreirense form (all competitions):

Sousa has just one injury absentee for this match, with Theo Fonseca ruled out with an ACL injury and likely to remain sidelined for at least another month.

Rodrigues and Aranda both started the last match on the bench and came on to score, and the pair will be hoping for a starting 11 spot in this one, which could see Otso Liimatta drop to the bench.

Andre Luis was kept quiet against Braga last week and will be hoping for a better performance this week against a more favourable defence from an attacking perspective.

Frimpong should maintain his spot on the left side of the defence, while Fabiano Silva will be hoping to return on the opposite flank after starting on the bench in the last match.

Famalicao possible starting lineup:

Junior; Aguirregabiria, Otavio, Riccieli, Moura; Topic, Youssouf, Aranda, Jaime, Dobre; Cadiz

Moreirense possible starting lineup:

Kewin; Fabiano, Maracas, Marcelo, Frimpong; Franco, Ofori, Kodisang, Alanzinho, Camacho; Luis

We say: Famalicao 2-1 Moreirense

The hosts managed a big win last week, and the confidence in the camp will be at an all-time high. We expect them to carry the momentum into their first home match of the season and fancy they will come away with a second consecutive win in this one.

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