Moreirensevs.Farense

Neither side are in the strongest form at the moment, but despite the disparity in league position, the visitors may sense a chance to put important points on the board this weekend.

Match preview

Cesar Peixoto's Moreirense are currently eighth in the Portugese top flight, having earned 22 points from their 17 matches so far.

Nine points behind fourth-placed Sporting Braga, the Green and Whites are winless in their last five games across all competitions, and have registered one draw and one loss to start 2025.

The last time Peixoto's side won was more than a month ago on December 5, when goals from Dinis Pinto and Guilherme Schettine helped them come from behind to beat high-flying Sporting Lisbon 2-1.

This weekend's hosts will be particularly disappointed with their recent results considering they had won six of their nine games leading up to and including that win over Sporting, and they will have to recapture that form if they are to make up the ground on the European qualification spots.

On Sunday, Moreirense will face one of the division's relegation candidates, and they may see the clash as the perfect opportunity to get their season back on track by picking up all three points.

Meanwhile, Toze Marreco's Farense have struggled in the Primeira Liga this term, and their status as a top-flight club is at serious risk.

The Lions of Faro are second-last in the table, and having scored the joint-fewest goals in the division, it is not hard to imagine how they have only taken 14 points from their 17 matches to date.

However, this weekend's visitors are in better form than their opponents, and have lost just one of their last seven league games, winning two and drawing the other four.

This means that Marreco's side have earned more than three quarters of their season's points total since November, a spell of positive results that is in stark contrast to the six consecutive losses they started the campaign with, and the nine losses that fans had to endure from the club's opening 11 fixtures.

On Sunday, Farense will be up against a team that have struggled in recent weeks, and if they are able to carve out a win, then they could rise all the way to 13th if results elsewhere are favourable.

Moreirense Primeira Liga form:

L

W

L

L

D

D

Moreirense form (all competitions):

W

L

L

D

D

L

SC Farense Primeira Liga form:

W

D

L

W

D

D

SC Farense form (all competitions):

D

L

W

D

D

L

Team News

Moreirense have doubts about the fitness of Gabrielzinho ahead of this weekend, and if the winger is unavailable, Pedro Santos may take his place in the XI given that Jeremy Antonisse is also unlikely to feature.

Meanwhile, forward Hermani Infande could make a comeback this January after recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that has kept him out since March last year, but Sunday's game likely comes too soon for him to contribute.

As for Farense, they will be without centre-back Marco Moreno, who is suspended after picking up two yellow cards in their league game against Santa Clara, so expect Raul Silva to start alongside Claudio Falcao and Lucas Africo in defence.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Luiz Felipe remains out as he works his way back from a cruciate ligament injury, though he could be back in contention later this month.

Moreirense possible starting lineup:

Kewin; Pinto, Marcelo, Maracas, Frimpong; Ismael, Ofori; Martins, Alan, Santos; Schettine

SC Farense possible starting lineup:

Velho; Silva, Falcao, Africo; Pastor, Neto, Menino, Victor; Merghem, Tomane, Matias

We say: Moreirense 0-1 SC Farense

Moreirense may be nine places above Farense in the table, but the visitors are in marginally better form ahead of this weekend's clash.

Written by

Anthony Nolan

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