Preview: Estrela Amadora vs. Estoril Praia - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams not acold isolated successful the standings volition spell caput to caput this Sunday erstwhile Estrela Amadora invited Estoril Praia to Estadio Jose Gomes for their 17th Primeira Liga crippled of the season.

Only 1 constituent separates the sides successful the league table, with the hosts successful 12th having collected 16 points from 16 games, portion the Canaries beryllium conscionable beneath them with the aforesaid fig of matches played.

Match preview

© Imago

Estrela's caller 1-1 gully astatine AVS connected December 28 saw an extremity to a funny pattern, arsenic they had alternated betwixt wins and losses successful their erstwhile six league games.

Building connected their 1-0 triumph implicit Rio Ave the week before, the Tricolours looked acceptable to interruption that inclination successful style, making a agleam commencement with Leo Cordeiro opening the scoring successful the eighth minute.

However, their pb lasted lone 7 minutes into the 2nd fractional earlier Baptiste Roux equalised for the hosts, leaving Jose Faria's men with their archetypal gully since a 2-2 stalemate against Vitoria Guimaraes successful precocious October.

While they whitethorn person hoped for a amended effect astatine AVS, Estrela volition instrumentality immoderate encouragement from picking up their archetypal constituent connected the roadworthy since their opening time gully astatine Braga, though their distant signifier remains a concern, with conscionable 2 draws and six defeats successful 8 outings.

On location soil, it has been a antithetic communicative for the Amadora-based outfit, who person won 4 of the past 5 league games connected their turf.

This beardown location grounds could beryllium utile erstwhile they look Estoril this weekend, peculiarly arsenic they edged their visitors 2-1 successful the lone apical formation gathering betwixt the sides astatine this ground, and they volition beryllium keen to replicate that effect to unafraid different captious 3 points.

© Imago

Estoril, meanwhile, person recovered victories hard to travel by of late, with their past occurrence coming implicit a period agone successful a 2-1 triumph against Famalicao connected December 1.

Since then, Ian Cathro's broadside person gone 4 games without a win, suffering 2 defeats either broadside of 2-2 draws against Braga and Moreirense, with the second being their astir caller outing.

The Canaries showed quality to combat backmost from an aboriginal setback successful that match, overturning Gabrielzinho's opener done goals from Alejandro Marques and Helder Costa, lone for Luis Asue to level the people successful the 57th minute, leaving Estoril to settee for a gully that halted their losing streak.

As they caput to Amadora, Canarinhos volition beryllium anxious to extremity a winless tally connected the road, having failed to assertion triumph successful 7 specified games, leaving them with the league's 3rd worst distant record, with conscionable 3 draws to amusement for their efforts.

Their deficiency of cutting borderline successful the last 3rd during those encounters has been a notable issue, with conscionable 4 goals scored connected their travels - the 3rd fewest successful the division, highlighting the situation Cathro's men look arsenic they look to crook their fortunes around.

Estrela Amadora Primeira Liga form:

Estrela Amadora signifier (all competitions):

Estoril Praia Primeira Liga form:

Team News

© Imago

Estrela volition instrumentality to the tract without Tiago Mamede and Miguel Lopes, with some players sidelined done injury, portion Alan Ruiz is suspended aft reaching the yellowish paper threshold.

The 31-year-old midfielder is apt to beryllium the lone alteration from the starting XI that faced AVS, with Leonel Bucca expected to slot into a two-man midfield down Kikas, who should proceed to pb the line.

With Xeka and Pedro Amaral afloat recovered, Estoril volition person a implicit squad disposable for Sunday's clash, giving manager Cathro a wealthiness of options to take from.

The Scottish manager is expected to instrumentality with his preferred 3-4-3 setup, featuring some scorers from the erstwhile outing - Marques and Costa - alongside Joao Carvalho successful attack.

Estrela Amadora imaginable starting lineup:
Brigido; Gabriel, Drame, Lima; Nilton, Jesus, Cordeiro, Veiga; Bucca, Luiz; Kikas

We say: Estrela Amadora 2-0 Estoril Praia

Estrela person rediscovered their signifier connected location turf, winning 4 of the past six matches successful beforehand of their fans and scoring astatine slightest doubly successful 5 of those encounters.

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