Preview: Estoril Praia vs. Santa Clara
Sports Mole provides an overview of Monday’s Primeira Liga clash between Estoril Praia and Santa Clara, including predictions, team news and possible rosters.
After a resounding 5-0 victory at Taca de Portugal, Estoril Praia Welcome Saint Clare at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on Monday.
The visitors, meanwhile, have been barred from cup competitions after a humiliating defeat at the hands of Braga and will aim to quickly put that result behind them and return to the winning streak.
Match preview
© Reuters
Estoril Praia secured his place in the fifth round of Taca de Portugal last weekend with a thrilling 5-0 victory over Serpa.
In a one-sided contest, Leonard Ruiz and Chiquinho scored in a two-minute spell to give the visitors a two-goal lead at the end of the first half, and with the second half making no procedural changes, Ruiz was again with his second of the match before Francisco Geraldes and André Clovis marked to cap off a brilliant team performance.
Estoril Praia is now returning to the Primeira Liga where she has failed to secure a victory in each of her last two matches, playing 1-1 draws against Benfica and Vizela respectively.
Regardless, the newly promoted squad have had a pretty impressive start to the campaign as they are unbeaten in all of their 11 games except one.
With 20 points accumulated out of the 33 available, the Canarinhos are currently fourth in the Primeira Liga standings, tied on points with Portimonense and only behind the “Big Three” of Porto, Sporting Lisbon and Benfica.
This good run of results is due to their good performance away from home, where they had four wins and two draws in six games and their superb performance at the defensive end of the field, where they scored only nine goals. until now. .
In contrast, Santa Clara has had a disappointing start to the season and finds itself at the bottom of the table having collected just six points to date.
Os Acoreano suffered a second straight league loss three weeks ago when they were beaten 3-0 by top-flight Porto at home.
In a unilateral affair at the Estadio de Sao Miguel, Sergio Oliveira broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute before Luis Diaz netted a brace in the second half to give the hosts their seventh loss of the season.
Santa Clara starts Monday’s game after a humiliating 6-0 loss to Braga at the Taca de Portugal, which saw his cup dreams come to an end last Saturday.
Nuno CamposThe team will feel confident to end this disastrous run and turn the tide in the coming game as they face an opposing team they are undefeated against in all but one of their last nine encounters, scoring three wins. and five draws in this time.
Estoril Praia Primeira Liga form:
Estoril Praia form (all competitions):
Santa Clara Primeira Liga form:
Santa Clara form (all competitions):
Team news
Estoril Praia will enter the pitch without the services of the Porto lender Romario Baro, who was injured in Taca de Portugal’s game against Felgueiras in October.
Other than that, there is nothing wrong with facing on the injury front and after his team’s dominant performance last time around, we expect Pinheiro to name a similar team in these.
Meanwhile, the 29-year-old striker Costinha will not play a role in the game after suffering an Achilles tendon injury against Moreirense in August.
He is joined on the Santa Clara injury table by a compatriot Ruben Oliveira, who continues his long stay on the sidelines after being seriously injured in May.
Marco Pereira got injured in the middle of the game against Belenenses in October, meaning the second-choice goalkeeper Ricardo could start between the sticks for the third game in a row.
Estoril Praia possible starting composition:
Figueira; Soria, Farraresi, Africo, Joaozinho; Loreintz, Gamboa; Franco, Gomes, Lourenço; Ruiz
Possible starting line-up in Santa Clara:
Ricardo; Rodrigues, Afonso, Henrique, Mansur; Carvalho, Morita, Lincoln; Allano, Patrick, Costa
We say: Estoril Praia 2-1 Santa Clara
Santa Clara finds himself at the bottom of the table after a disappointing start to the season which only allowed him to collect six points out of the first 33 available. Meanwhile, Estoril Praia has had a good, high-flying start to the campaign and despite their struggles at home we expect them to take all three points in this one.