Rio Avevs.Sao Joao Ver

The top-tier hosts are one of five Liga sides left in the domestic cup, but they will hope to avoid coming unstuck against a motivated opponent keen to progress to a last-four berth to face Gil Vicente or Sporting Lisbon.

Match preview

Although Rio Ave have been middling in the Primeira Liga since returning to the division in 2022, the Vila do Conde outfit have some history in this competition.

The two-time runners-up - finalists in 1984 and 2014 - have reached two semi-finals and three quarter-finals in the last decade since making the 2014 final when they fell 1-0 against Benfica.

Back in the last eight for the first time since 2022, Petit, who replaced long-time Rio Ave boss Luis Freire in November, aims to take Rioavistas into the last four for the first time since 2016.

The retired midfielder has notched two cup victories since replacing Freire, surviving a scare at second-tier Alverca to win on penalties before defeating Primeira Liga side Casa Pia in January and will welcome the club's first home cup tie against third-tier opponents this week.

However, Vilacondenses' absence of clean sheets since early November could undermine their prospects of advancing to the semis this year.

Sao Joao Ver will back themselves to extend Rio Ave's 11-match run without a clean sheet, keen to continue their seven-game sequence of finding the back of the net, further underscored by a pair of 4-1 wins over Fafe and Varzim either side of a 2-2 draw at Anadia in their past three fixtures.

Unlike their opponents, Afonso Cabral's troops have little history in the domestic cup, with this year's last-eight run the club's deepest since the turn of the century.

A fourth-round run in 2022-23 before falling to Varzim was Malapeiros' finest showing in eight years before this year's groundbreaking progress, and the free-scoring visitors aim to continue their admirable performance at Rio Ave's expense.

Since surviving penalties in the opening round against Ovarense in September, Sao Joao Ver have defeated opponents in normal time since, beating FC Serpa (1-0), Paredes (4-1), Lusitania (2-0) and Oliveira Hospital (3-1) to set up a first match-up with a top-flight side in this season's domestic cup.

Although 18 third-tier clubs started this year's Taca de Portugal journey, Malapeiros are the last ones standing before the quarters and hope to outwit their Primeira Liga opponents to extend their historic run.

Rio Ave Taca de Portugal form:

W

W

W

Rio Ave form (all competitions):

W

D

W

L

W

D

Sao Joao Ver Taca de Portugal form:

Team News

Clayton has netted a goal in consecutive rounds heading into Thursday's quarter-final, including the second in November's match at Alverca, where Rio Ave fought back from 2-0 down and the forward aims to add to his cup tally.

Brandon Aguilera, who missed Monday's 2-2 draw with Porto due to an undisclosed injury, could be joined on the sidelines by Francisco Petrasso after the centre-back's 67th-minute withdrawal against the Liga giants.

Paulinho has been absent from the Sao Joao Ver squad since December with a broken fibula and the wide attacker is expected to miss Thursday's visit to Vila do Conde.

Joao Victor enters the last-eight clash on an eight-match scoring streak, including a hat-trick in the away side's last match against Varzim in late January, highlighting his importance to the third-tier club's attacking prospects.

Rio Ave possible starting lineup:

Miszta; Vrousai, Abbey, Ndoj, Richards; Tiknaz, Neto; Bondoso, Pohlmann, Morais; Clayton

Sao Joao Ver possible starting lineup:

Mello; Viegas, Almeida, Tavares, Ruca; Jesse; Daniel, Fortunato, Andrezinho; Victor, Rebelo

We say: Rio Ave 3-1 Sao Joao Ver

Rio Ave's run of clean sheets and Victor's goalscoring form means the third-tier visitors should find the back of the net against the Liga outfit.

Written by

Anthony Brown

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