Pacos de Ferreira will look to continue their surge from the Primeira Liga relegation zone as they take on Vitoria de Guimaraes at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques on Saturday.
The Pacenses will head into the weekend in search of a second consecutive league double over the hosts, having won each of their last three meetings since December 2021.
Match preview
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Vitoria de Guimaraes became the latest victims of Benfica's Primeira Liga onslaught as they were thrashed 5-1 by the league leaders just before the international break.
In a one-sided affair at the Estadio da Luz, goals from Goncalo Ramos, Antonio Silva and a first-half brace from Jaoa Mario inspired As Aguias to their 22nd league win of the season.
Prior to that, Joao Aroso's men saw their six-game unbeaten run come to an end on March 11 when they fell to a 2-0 loss against Arouca courtesy of second-half goals from Rafa Mujica and Antony Alves.
Vitoria de Guimaraes now return home, where they are on a run of three wins in their last four matches, seeing off Chaves, Portimonense and Braga since the fourth week of January.
Os Vimaranenses have picked up 12 wins, four draws and lost nine of their 25 league matches so far to collect 40 points and sit fifth in the Primeira Liga table, two points above Casa Pia just outside the Europa Conference League qualification places.
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Pacos de Ferreira, on the other hand, were denied back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they could only salvage a 1-1 draw against Arouca last time out.
Following a goalless first half at the Estadio Municipal de Arouca, Mujica broke the deadlock in the 55th minute to put the Arouquenses ahead, but Nicolas Gaitan struck 20 minutes later to force a share of the spoils.
This followed a 1-0 victory over Santa Clara in a bottom-of-the-table clash on March 11, when Vitorino Antunes converted his 54th-minute penalty to hand the Azoreans their 15th league defeat of the season.
With 16 points from 25 matches, Pacos de Ferreira are currently 16th in the league standings, level on points with 17th-placed Maritimo and four points off Estoril Praia just outside the relegation zone.
While Cesar Peixoto's men will be looking to return to winning ways, standing in their way is a Vitoria de Guimaraes side who have won each of their last three encounters and are unbeaten in 16 of their last 20 meetings since November 2008.
Team News
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Vitoria de Guimaraes will take to the pitch without the services of goalkeeper Bruno Varela, who has missed the last two matches after picking up a wonderful handshake.
He is joined on Os Vimaranenses' injury table by Portuguese midfielder Ze Carlos, who is yet to feature this year due to a severe knee injury.
Andre Amaro and Andre Andre will both sit out this one through suspension, while Ibrahima Bamba and Jorge Fernandes are currently recuperating from muscle injuries respectively.
As for the visitors, Alexandre Guedes and Paulo Bernardo were both hauled off injured inside the opening 20 minutes last time out and are major doubts for this weekend's encounter.
Gaitan has been instrumental in Pacos de Ferreira's recent upturn in form and the former Atletico Madrid man, who has four goal involvements in his last eight matches, will be one to keep an eye on.
Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting lineup:
Maga; Tounkara, Villanueva, Freitas; T Silva, Maga, D Silva, Handel; J Silva, A Silva, Luz
Pacos de Ferreira possible starting lineup:
Marafona; Delgado, Lima, Maracas, Antunes; Carlos, Pires, Holsgrove; Thomas, Gomes, Gaitan
We say: Vitoria de Guimaraes 2-1 Pacos de Ferreira
With nine games to go before the end of the 2022-23 Primeira Liga campaign, Pacos de Ferreira have little time to salvage their season. While Vitoria de Guimaraes have run out of steam in recent weeks, they have been solid on home turf, where they have won three of their last four matches. With that said, we anticipate a close contest at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques, with the hosts claiming a slender victory.
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