Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Chaves vs. Vitoria de Guimaraes - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 15 March 2024, 17:15
Two sides with contrasting Primeira Liga ambitions this season will meet this weekend when Chaves take on Vitoria de Guimaraes at Estadio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira on Sunday afternoon.

The hosts' primary goal will be to avoid the drop the term as they sit bottom of the table after 25 matches, while the visitors are gunning for a spot in Europe, currently in fifth place in the league standings.

Match preview

Following a sensational return to the top flight last season when they only narrowly missed out on a top-six finish, Chaves have experienced a major drop-off this season and head into gameweek 26 with just 19 points to their name, including four wins, seven draws and 14 losses.

However, with the bottom half of the table still being very tightly compact, they are just four points from safety, and if they are able to pull off an against-the-odds win here, they could draw level with Estoril Praia, who are currently in the sole relegation playoff spot in the standings.

Flavienses played out a goalless draw away to Gil Vicente in their last match, marking their third consecutive Primeira Liga game without victory, following a 1-1 draw against Estrela at the end of February and a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Arouca at the start of the month.

At home this season, Moreno's side have earned the bulk of their points (12), though over their last six games, they have managed just one win, which was a 2-1 victory over Boavista exactly one month ago.

Based on recent history, the hosts are likely to struggle to take anything from this match. When these sides met in the reverse fixture back in October, Chaves were totally outclassed from the first whistle and slumped to a 5-0 defeat.

Meanwhile, that victory over this opponent in October stands as Vitoria's biggest win of the season to date and also extended their current winning streak against Chaves to five matches in succession dating back to 2018.

Since then, Os Vimaranenses have maintained good form and will head into Sunday's fixture with 47 points after 25 games, three points behind Braga in the final European qualification spot and eight clear of Moreirense in sixth.

Alvaro Pacheco's side secured their 14th league win of the season last weekend with a 1-0 win over Famalicao at home and are now going for a third consecutive victory having beaten Estoril 3-1 at the start of the month.

The visitors have managed to take 19 points from a possible 36 in away league matches this season. They are currently on a three-match unbeaten streak (W2 D1 L0) and have not suffered an away defeat since the end of January against Gil Vicente.

Unsurprisingly, Vitoria are heavily fancied to claim all three points here, and they will also see this as a golden opportunity to make up ground in the goal difference column against what has been the out-and-out worst defence in the league this season.

Chaves Primeira Liga form:

D

L

W

D

L

D

Vitoria de Guimaraes Primeira Liga form:

W

D

D

L

W

W

Team News

Having managed only their third clean sheet this season last week, it would come as no surprise if Moreno opted for an unchanged backline with Ygor Nogueira, Vasco Fernandes and Junior Pius in front of Hugo Souza in goal.

Hector Hernandez has scored exactly half of the side's 24 league goals this season and will almost certainly continue to lead the line alongside Raphael Guzzo and Joao Correia.

Pacheco is still without the services of his first-choice shot-stopper Bruno Varela due to injury, which should mean that Charles will continue between the sticks for the foreseeable future.

Tomas Ribeiro will be eligible for selection again, having served his one-match suspension against Fama, and he should slot straight back into the three-man defence, with Jorge Fernandes likely to drop to the bench.

Chaves possible starting lineup:

Souza; Pius, Fernandes, Nogueira; Benny, Nwakali, Essugo, Carraca; Guzzo, Hernandez, Correia

Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting lineup:

Charles; Ribeiro, Borevkovic, Villanueva; Gaspar, Handel, T Silva, Mendes, Mangas; Oliveira, J Silva

We say: Chaves 1-2 Vitoria de Guimaraes

Vitoria notched up their biggest win of the season against this opponent in the reverse fixture and are carrying solid form into this contest. They have also beaten Chaves in each of their last five encounters, outscoring them 13-1 in that time, and we feel they will add another three points to their tally in this one.

Previews by email

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Following four straight defeats leading into the international break, Aston Villa will return to action on Saturday, when Crystal Palace pay a visit to Villa Park. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly set a £100m asking price for Enzo Fernandez amid interest from Real Madrid. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Saudi Pro League action will return to the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium this weekend when Al Khaleej play host to the defending champions Al-Hilal on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Atletico Madrid will be aiming to make it five straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign against Alaves at Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Robert Lewandowski is a mesmerising goal scorer, but it turns out that's not his only talent. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace may be without two of their key creators when they kick off on Saturday afternoon, as an ailing Premier League campaign resumes away to Aston Villa.