Torreense vs Fafe - prediction, team news, lineups

All remains to play for successful this underdog Taca de Portugal semi-final arsenic Liga 2 broadside Torreense big third-tier Fafe successful Thursday’s 2nd limb astatine Estadio Manuel Marques.

The archetypal limb ended successful a 1-1 gully astatine Estadio Municipal de Fafe connected February 4, leaving the contention finely poised with a spot successful the last against either Porto oregon Sporting Lisbon astatine stake.

Match preview

Reaching this signifier of the Taca de Portugal already represents a historical milestone for Torreense, whose erstwhile champion tally came successful 1998-99 erstwhile they were eliminated by Vitoria Setubal successful the quarter-finals.

On their way to this season’s past four, the Torres Vedras outfit saw disconnected lower-league absorption successful Correlha and Lusitania arsenic good arsenic chap Liga 2 broadside Leiria, with their standout infinitesimal arriving successful the 5th round, wherever they knocked retired top-flight Casa Pia.

Slight favourites for this semi-final tie, Luis Tralhao’s men were held to a gully successful the archetypal leg, coming from down against 10-man Fafe acknowledgment to Manuel Pozo Guerrero’s 59th-minute equaliser pursuing goalkeeper Joao Goncalo’s dismissal.

Since that cupful engagement, Torreense person played 10 matches, returning six victories (D2, L2), including a 1-0 occurrence implicit Maritimo astatine the weekend, a effect that leaves the Torres Vedras nine 3rd successful the Liga 2 table, level connected points with fourth-placed Leiria.

While that result boosted Torreense’s propulsion for a maiden top-flight appearance, it besides highlights their beardown location form, with six wins from their past 8 matches astatine the venue (D1, L1), with the astir caller 3 of those successes secured by a azygous extremity and a cleanable sheet, and they volition anticipation that inclination continues connected Thursday.

Notably, each of Fafe’s past 3 defeats person travel by the aforesaid one-goal margin, each occurring wrong their erstwhile 5 distant outings (W1, D1), pointing to a broadside presently struggling to header connected their travels.

The latest of those setbacks came successful a 1-0 nonaccomplishment astatine AD Marco astatine the weekend, wherever Luis Garro’s 74th-minute onslaught proved decisive, delaying confirmation of Os Justiceiros’ endurance successful Liga 3, though a constituent from their remaining 2 matches would settee that matter.

That effect besides means Mario Ferreira’s men person failed to people successful 4 of their past 5 distant fixtures and saw their five-game unbeaten tally (W3, D2) astatine immoderate venue travel to an end, truthful occurrence connected Thursday volition request a marked improvement.

Head manager Ferreira volition inactive judge his broadside tin defy the likelihood erstwhile again, having eliminated top-flight absorption successful Moreirense, Arouca and Braga connected their tally to scope this signifier of the Taca de Portugal for the archetypal clip successful their history.

However, Os Justiceiros’ lone distant ties successful this season’s contention person travel against lower-division broadside Oriental and chap Liga 3 outfit Lusitano, and a travel to second-tier Torreense represents their toughest trial yet connected the roadworthy successful the Portuguese cupful campaign.

That is further emphasised by the information Fafe suffered a punishment shootout decision successful their lone erstwhile sojourn to Manuel Marques, wherever the sides met successful the 4th circular of the 2021-22 Taca de Portugal, and the visitors volition beryllium looking to debar different exit here.

Torreense Taca de Portugal form:

Torreense signifier (all competitions):

Fafe Taca de Portugal form:

Fafe signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Torreense emerged from their lucifer against Maritimo without immoderate evident caller concerns, truthful Tralhao is expected to person a mostly unchanged squad available, though midfielder Costinha’s lack from that fixture raises doubts implicit his engagement here.

Pozo, who scored the equaliser successful the archetypal leg, has missed each of the past 4 matchday squads, making him a large uncertainty for Thursday’s encounter.

Tralhao could instrumentality with the aforesaid starting lineup from the weekend, with Dany Jean, whose extremity proved decisive, forming portion of a beforehand 3 alongside Kevin Zohi and Luis Quintero.

Like the hosts, Fafe get without caller wounded issues from their erstwhile outing, with the lone confirmed absentee being Ruben Goncalves, who continues his betterment from a superior genu problem.

However, uncertainty surrounds first-choice goalkeeper Tiago Martins, who was notably absent from the matchday squad past weekend.

If Martins remains unavailable for the travel to Manuel Marques, backup stopper Manu is expected to start, with Goncalo suspended pursuing his reddish paper successful the archetypal leg.

Torreense imaginable starting lineup:

Paes; Bruno, Stopira, Mohamed, Vazquez; Simoes, Leo Silva, Alfaro; Quintero, Zohi, Jean

Fafe imaginable starting lineup:

T Martins; Pinto, Batista, Teixeira, Breno; Cardoso; C Daniel, Braga; Fonseca, Ka, Veiga

We say: Torreense 1-0 Fafe (Torreense triumph 2-1 aggregate)

Both sides find themselves successful unfamiliar territory, having ne'er antecedently reached this signifier of the Taca de Portugal, though Torreense clasp a flimsy borderline fixed their higher-league presumption and Fafe’s caller struggles distant from home.

The visitors person lacked cutting borderline connected their travels successful caller weeks, and that shortcoming could beryllium decisive against a big broadside whose caller successes person been built connected antiaircraft solidity.
 

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.