Preview: Maritimo vs. Moreirense - prediction, team news, lineups

Maritimo will be on the hunt for a first win in eight league games on Sunday when they host Moreirense, who sit eighth in the Primeira Liga table.

After escaping the foot of the table earlier in the season, Sunday's hosts now find themselves back in the drop zone, while their opponents sit comfortably in the top half of the division.

Match preview

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Last time out, Maritimo played out a goalless draw away at 13th-placed Portimonense.

While it was not enough to lift them out of the bottom two, that result did put an end to a run of six consecutive defeats in the top flight.

Worryingly for Milton Mendes, his side have netted just three goals in their last seven Primeira Liga games, conceding 12 in that time.

As a result, the side from Madeira now have one of the worst defensive records in the league, with only two sides in the Portuguese top flight conceding more than the 30 goals they have shipped this campaign.

Their home record will also not worry Moreirense, having picked up just eight points from their 10 league games at the Estadio dos Barreiros.

However, they do sit just one point adrift of safety, given how tight the bottom of the league is, and a win on Sunday could see them move out of the relegation zone.

That will be easier said than done though, as they host Moreirense, who sit nine places and eight points above them in the table.

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The visitors have suffered somewhat of a slump in form of their own recently, failing to pick up a win in their last three league outings.

In their last game, Vasco Seabra's men drew 2-2 at home to 10th-placed Belenenses, when Rafael Martins twice gave them the lead, only for his goals to be cancelled out by a Goncalo Silva goal and a 72nd-minute Mateo Cassierra equaliser to see the sides share the points.

Before that, Os Verdes e Brancos suffered a disappointing 1-0 away defeat at the hands of basement side Boavista, as Angel Gomes fired his side to an unlikely win.

Despite that recent form, Seabra's men do still sit in eighth spot, while a win on Sunday would see them overtake Santa Clara and move up to seventh.

Team News

Maritimo will remain without their key man Rodrigo Pinho, who has missed their last five games with an ankle injury, having netted seven league goals this season.

They will also be missing centre-back Zainadine Junior, who will serve a suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season last time out.

In Pinho's absence, the Maritimo line has been led by Diederrick Joel Tagueu, who has found the net twice in his last four appearances.

Moreirense remain without several players through injury, as Sori Mane, Pedro Amador and Pedro Nuno all continue their spells on the sidelines.

However, they recently welcomed exciting winger Felipe Pires back to action, as he came off the bench last time out after a spell out with injury.

Rafael Martins will be full of confidence in attack, having netted a brace in his last game, taking his tally to four goals from seven league appearances this campaign.

Manchester City loanee Nahuel Ferraresi has impressed in defence recently, cementing his spot in the starting lineup.

Maritimo possible starting lineup:
Abedzadeh; Winck, Santos, Andrade, Africo, Hermes; Bambock, Jean, Macedo; Tagueu, Guitane

Moreirense possible starting lineup:
Pasinato; D'Alberto, Rosic, Ferraresi, Conte; Yan, Pacheco, A. Soares, Walterson; Martins, P. Soares

We say: Maritimo 0-2 Moreirense

We expect Maritimo's winless run to continue on Sunday, as they could be outclassed by the visitors with their sights set on seventh place.

Mendes's side have definitely struggled without Pinho in attack, and we see them failing to score again here, while their weak defence could be taken apart by the exciting Moreirense attack.