Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Preview: Famalicao vs. Estoril Praia - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 15 December 2023, 23:18
Famalicao will be looking to bounce back to winning ways in the Primeira Liga when they lock horns with Estoril Praia at Estadio Municipal 22 de Junho on Sunday evening.

The hosts step into this encounter with 17 points after the first 13 matches this season, while the visitors have managed just 13 points to date but are on an upward trajectory.

Match preview

Famalicao have struggled for consistency and head into this contest, having only won one of their last seven league matches, which was against Gil Vicente (3-1) back at the start of November.

Since then, they played out a 0-0 draw to Vizela, followed by a 3-0 defeat against Porto and a 1-1 draw last week away to Portimonense, who played a large portion of the second half with 10 men.

While that was not an ideal result, Joao Pedro Sousa will likely be pleased that his side managed to find a goal early in the match, which has been a rare occurrence so far this season.

The hosts have managed to find the net on just 12 occasions this term, which is the second-worst record in the league, with only Casa Pia (10) posting a worse return.

Nevertheless, Fama will gain some confidence from the fact that they were far from prolific last season as well but managed to defeat this opponent 1-0 at this venue in their last meeting.

Meanwhile, Estoril finished two spots above the bottom three last season and find themselves uncomfortably close to the drop zone again this term.

The Canaries are three points above the dotted line as it stands, but it is worth noting that before the international break, they were at the bottom of the table and looking destined for relegation.

However, following the appointment of Vasco Seabra, Estoril look like a different side and pulled off a huge upset to beat Porto on the road before smashing four past Casa Pia a week later.

Last week, they slotted another four without reply against Chaves, meaning that nine of their 13-point total has been earned in just their last four matches.

Still, Famalicao have been difficult to break down on their home patch, and it will be interesting to see if the visitors can claim another against-the-odds victory during this good run of form.

Famalicao Primeira Liga form:

L

L

W

D

L

D

Famalicao form (all competitions):

W

D

W

L

L

D

Estoril Praia Primeira Liga form:

L

L

W

W

L

W

Estoril Praia form (all competitions):

W

W

W

L

W

W

Advert - content below:

Team News

Fama will be able to welcome back Zaydou Youssouf for this match after he was forced to sit out the trip to Portimonense for his red card against Porto a week earlier.

Theo Fonseca found the net in the last match, helping his side avoid going three matches without a return, and he should continue in attack with Chiquinho and Jhonder Cadiz.

Jordan Holsgrove will be unavailable for selection here due to an accumulation of yellow cards which should allow Alex Soares to return in the middle of the park.

Erick Cabaco has been training following a muscle injury, but this match may have come a week or two too early to see him make the starting lineup.

Famalicao possible starting lineup:

Junior; Nathan, Otavio, De Haas, Moura; Assuncao, Topic; Chiquinho, Sa, Fonseca; Cadiz

Estoril Praia possible starting lineup:

Carne; Parra, Vital, Alvaro; Gomes, Soares, Fernandes, Araujo; Guitane, Marques; Cassiano

We say: Famalicao 2-2 Estoril Praia

With a new manager at the helm, Estoril look like a side transformed and are playing free-flowing, attacking football that their opponents have struggled to contend with. Famalicao, though, are fairly solid defensively and have won the last three at this venue against this opponent. This should be an entertaining watch, but we say these sides will end level at the final whistle.

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are without Italian left-back Riccardo Calafiori for Sunday's FA Cup third-round clash with Manchester United at the Emirates. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Juventus have reportedly had an opening offer for Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo rejected by the Catalan giants. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Napoli are reportedly ready to make a move for Manchester United attacker Alejandro Garnacho, with the Italian outfit searching for a replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona are reportedly considering making a move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford before the end of the January transfer window. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool head coach Arne Slot cannot call upon the suspended Darwin Nunez for Tuesday's Premier League battle with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo should have all but one of his players available for Tuesday's blockbuster Premier League battle with leaders Liverpool at the City Ground. 12 January 2025 talksport.com West Ham United are looking to make a move in the January transfer window after another brutal injury blow. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Facing one of the toughest tests of their Premier League title mettle, Liverpool make the trek to the City Ground for a fascinating battle with high-flying Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night. 12 January 2025 talksport.com Manchester City are closing in on an agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt for forward Omar Marmoush, talkSPORT understands. 12 January 2025 talksport.com Dutch hero Patrick Kluivert has announced the big plans he has in store after returning to the dugout on the international stage. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola has both the best and worst kind of attacking dilemma to solve for Tuesday's Premier League showdown with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is expected to revert to his regular 'A' team for Tuesday's Premier League clash with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Separated by just three points in the upper echelons of the Premier League table, Chelsea and Bournemouth endeavour to build on emphatic FA Cup victories in Tuesday's top-flight battle at Stamford Bridge. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Six-time Spanish champions Valencia will be bidding to avoid an upset against third-tier outfit Ourense CF when they take to the field in the last-16 stage of the 2024-25 Copa del Rey on Tuesday night. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to stay within close range of the Serie A summit, Atalanta BC will host a misfiring Juventus side on Tuesday evening. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker is not expected to be involved when the Premier League champions travel to Brentford for Tuesday's top-flight contest. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford left-back Rico Henry is in line for his first Premier League appearance since September 2023 when the Bees host Manchester City at the Gtech Community Stadium on Tuesday. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, viewing the Sweden international as the ideal long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Kicking off a three-game road trip in the English capital, a revitalised Manchester City seek a fourth win on the spin in Tuesday's Premier League clash with Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly suffered a major blow in their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain's Randal Kolo Muani, with Aston Villa potentially emerging as the favourites for the France international. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic could reportedly be offered a route back to the Premier League by newly-promoted Ipswich Town. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund are reportedly making 'a concerted effort' to acquire Marcus Rashford, while Napoli are said to have emerged as genuine contenders to sign the Manchester United attacker before the end of the January transfer window. 12 January 2025 talksport.com There was no room for Gianfranco Zola, Frank Lampard or John Terry in Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's ultimate five-a-side team of former teammates. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Playing catch-up in the race for a top-four finish, AC Milan will seek their first Serie A win of the year when they make the short trip to Como on Tuesday. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Fresh from snapping a four-game winless sequence, Chelsea endeavour to get back on track in the Premier League when they square up to Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk An extremely stern examination of Liverpool's Premier League title credentials awaits on Tuesday night, when the Reds visit high-flying Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk On the hunt for a fourth successive victory across all competitions, a rejuvenated Manchester City head down south to tackle Brentford in Tuesday's Premier League affair. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk For the first time in over 45 years, Monaco will visit Stade Auguste-Delaune for a Coupe de France fixture against Reims with a spot in the round of 16 at stake on Tuesday. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The transfer window is open! Clubs around the UK and Europe have one final chance to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Sivasspor vs. Alanyaspor (Sunday, 10.30am) Sivasspor will look to arrest their alarming slide when they host Alanyaspor in round 19 of the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday.