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

Os Vimaranenses are unbeaten in their last seven home games across all competitions, including five consecutive wins in that time, and will look to keep the juggernaut rolling.

Match preview

Vitoria de Guimaraes were sent crashing down to earth in the Primeira Liga as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Portimonense when the sides met at the Estadio Municipal de Portimao last Sunday.

Newly-signed Portuguese winger Jota Silva broke the deadlock right after the half-time break to hand the Portimao outfit the lead but Welinton Junior and Yago Caju found the target to turn the game on its head.

Joao Teixeira's side previously won their opening two games of the new Portuguese top-flight campaign, seeing off Chaves and Estoril Praia 1-0 respectively, and were on a run of seven consecutive league games without a defeat since April.

With six points from three games, Vitoria de Guimaraes are currently sixth in the league standings, level on points with Arouca and Boavista, while they sit two points and five places above Monday's visitors.

Os Vimaranenses now return home where they have won their last five outings and are currently on a seven-game unbeaten run, dating back to a 1-0 loss against reigning champions Porto back in April.

Casa Pia, on the other hand, picked up their first win of the season last Sunday when they comfortably brushed aside Boavista 2-0 on home turf.

Following an uneventful first half at the National Sports Center of Jamor, Rafael Martins and Saviour Godwin netted five minutes apart in the second half to hand Filipe Martins's men their first defeat of the season.

Prior to that, the newly-promoted side got their season underway with a goalless draw with Santa Clara on August 7 before suffering a slender 1-0 loss against league heavyweight Benfica six days later.

While Casa Pia will be looking to secure their first set of consecutive victories since their return to the Primeira Liga, they have managed just one win in their last four competitive away games, losing twice and claiming one draw.

Vitoria de Guimaraes Primeira Liga form:

Vitoria de Guimaraes form (all competitions):

Casa Pia Primeira Liga form:

Casa Pia form (all competitions):

Team News

Vitoria de Guimaraes will have to make do with the absence of 22-year-old midfielder Tomas Handel, who has been out of action since February through a muscle injury.

He is joined on the club's injury table by Jorge Fernandes, who came off injured midway through the Conference League qualifying game against Puskas Academy back in July.

Veteran midfielder Andre Andre, who spent the last six months on loan with Saudi outfit Al-Ittihad, will play no part in this weekend's encounter after suffering an injury back in June.

Casa Pia, on the other hand, will be without the services of 31-year-old forward Carnejy Antoine, who has been sidelined since picking up an injury in pre-season.

Martins and Godwin were both on target to hand Os Gansos their first win of the season against Boavista last time out and we expect the duo to spearhead the attack once again.

Joao Nunes, Vasco Fernandes and Bosnian defender Nermin Zolotic combined will to help Casa Pia pick up their second clean sheet of the season last weekend and we expect them to retain their roles in the back three.

Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting lineup:

Varela; Maga, Villanueva, Amaro, Sa; Silva, Bamba; Lameiras, Almeida, Silva; Silva

Casa Pia possible starting lineup:

Batista; Nunes, Fernandes, Zolotic; Soares, Taira, Neto, Lelo, Kunimoto; Martins, Godwin

We say: Vitoria de Guimaraes 2-1 Casa Pia

Vitoria de Guimaraes will be happy to return to their home turf where they have won six of their last seven games across all competitions. We are backing the hosts to maintain this fine run and come away with all three points against a Casa Pia side who have failed to win three of their last four away games.

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