Alverca vs AVS – News and Probable Lineups

AVS will aim to secure their first away victory in the Primeira Liga when they face Alverca at the Complexo Desportivo FC Alverca on Saturday.

Custodio Castro’s squad is unbeaten at home since the start of the year, managing two wins and two draws in their last four matches. They will look to extend this impressive streak over the weekend.

Match overview

Alverca tied for the third consecutive match last Saturday, battling back to earn a 1-1 draw against Vitoria de Guimaraes at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques.

After a goalless first half, Samu, a Portuguese midfielder, opened the scoring just after the break, giving Vitoria de Guimaraes an early lead, but Figueiredo equalized in the 65th minute, allowing the visitors to secure a point.

Following that match, Castro’s team has now gone six games without a league win, suffering two losses and earning four draws, with only two victories in their last 11 games since mid-December.

Despite the recent downturn, Alverca remains comfortably positioned in mid-table during their impressive return to the Primeira Liga after a 20-year absence, having accrued 27 points from 24 matches, placing them 10th in the standings, five points behind ninth-placed Guimaraes.

As the end of the season approaches with only 10 matches left, AVS is facing a challenging fight to maintain their top-flight status, sitting at the bottom of the table and 12 points adrift of safety.

Joao Henriques’s squad dropped two valuable points in their relegation battle last Saturday, finishing deadlocked at 0-0 with Estrela Amadora at the Estadio do CD das Aves.

AVS has only managed one win in their last 11 matches in all competitions, with three draws and seven losses, including a narrow 3-2 defeat after extra time against Sporting Lisbon in the Taca de Portugal quarter-finals on February 5.

This weekend, they travel to the Complexo Desportivo FC Alverca, where Alverca has proven to be a tough opponent this season, remaining unbeaten in six of their last seven fixtures with three wins and three draws since early November.

Team News

Alverca will be without Brazilian full-back Kaiky Naves, who is suspended after reaching the yellow card limit following his booking against Vitoria de Guimaraes last weekend.

In terms of injuries, Castro will not be able to count on a number of key players, with Stephane Diarra (muscle), Leo Chu (knee), and Spanish midfielder Tomas Mendes (muscle) all sidelined.

Francisco Chissumba has missed the last two matches after being injured against Tondela on February 13, and Ganaian midfielder Sabit Abdulai will miss his fifth consecutive game since his injury against Estrela in January.

As for AVS, they continue to be without the attacking pair of 22-year-old Pedro Lima and Antoine Baroan from France, both recovering from injuries.

Colombian defender Cristian Devenish will also be absent this weekend due to a suspension after collecting a yellow card while on the bench during the match against Estrela last time out.

Alverca probable starting XI:

Gomes; Baseya, Gomez, Meupiyou; Touaizi, Rhaldney, Lincoln, James; Figueiredo, Milovanovic, Chiquinho

AVS probable starting XI:

Adriel; Pivo, Santos, Vitor, Rivas; Algobia, Roni, Mendonca; Akinsola, Tomane, Duarte

Alverca has faced challenges in recent weeks, but their solid home form should instill confidence ahead of this weekend’s fixture.

AVS has secured only two points on the road this season, and while they are showing signs of improvement, we anticipate that Castro’s side will clinch all three points at the Complexo Desportivo FC Alverca.