Preview: Portimonense vs. Braga - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh off the back of progressing to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, Braga take a trip to the Estadio Municipal de Portimao to square off against Portimonense on Sunday.

The Portimao-based outfit, on the other hand, head into the game on a run of 12 games without a win across all competitions and will be seeking to end this dry spell.

Match preview

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Portimonense failed to find their feet in the Primeira Liga as they suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss away to Estoril Praia when the sides squared off last Saturday.

In a one-sided affair at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, Jordi Mboula and Francisco Geraldes scored in either half to hand the Canarinhos their first win in four games.

Portimonense have now failed to taste victory in any of their last 12 league games, losing six games and picking up six draws since a 1-0 win at Moreirense on December 12.

Following Saturday's 1-1 draw, Portimonense have now failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 consecutive games across all competitions, stretching back to November's 3-0 victory away to Famalicao.

With 29 points from 26 games, Paulo Sergio's men are currently 11th in the Primeira Liga standings, one point adrift of Santa Clara just inside the top half of the table.

While Portimonense will be desperate for a pick-me-up this weekend, they face the daunting task of squaring off against an opposing side who are unbeaten in each of the last 15 meetings between the teams since 2010, losing 11 and managing four draws in that time.

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Meanwhile, a 2-0 victory in the first leg meant that despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Monaco in Thursday's return leg, Braga secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

They now turn their sights to the Primeira Liga, where they saw their four-game unbeaten run come to an end last weekend courtesy of a 1-0 home defeat against Gil Vicente.

It was late drama at the Estadio Braga Municipal as Portuguese defender Henrique Gomes came off the bench to grab an 89th-minute winner and hand the Gilistas all three points.

Having played out consecutive draws with Santa Clara and Boavista in their previous two league outings, Carlos Carvalhal's side are now winless in three straight league games — their longest run without a victory this season.

Os Arcebispos have picked up 13 wins, seven draws and lost six of their 26 Primeira Liga games this season to collect 46 points and sit fourth on the log, one point above Gil Vicente in the final Conference League qualification spot.

Team News

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Sergio will be unable to call upon Ricardo Matos, who is set to sit out his third consecutive game after picking up an injury in February's game against Santa Clara.

He is joined on the Portimonense injury table by Brazilian defender Pedrao after the 24-year-old came off injured versus Vizela on February 27.

Braga, on the other hand, will take to the pitch without the services of teenage starlets Jean Gorby and Roger Fernandes, who have both been sidelined through injuries.

Thirty-one-year-old full-back Nuno Sequeira is also out of contention for Os Arcebispos as he makes his return to full fitness after sustaining a severe injury back in November.

Portimonense possible starting lineup:
Samuel; Da Costa, Possignolo, Rocha, Relvas; Sa, Carlinhos; Nakajima, Angulo, Fernandes; Junior

Braga possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Tormena, Carmo, Oliveira; F Silva, A Horta, Al Musrati, Gomes, Castro; R Horta, Ruiz

We say: Portimonense 1-2 Braga

While Braga have struggled to grind out results in the Primeira Liga in recent weeks, they will fancy their chances of ending this dry spell as they face an opposing side who they are unbeaten against in 15 consecutive encounters. Portimonense last won a league game back in December and we predict the visitors extend this poor run by coming away with all three points on Sunday.

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