Estoril vs Rio Ave – News and Probable Lineups

The revitalized Rio Ave squad will aim for their third consecutive win for the first time since November 2024 as they head to Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota to clash with Estoril Praia in round 27 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga this Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Canarinhos will be striving to extend their unbeaten home streak to 10 games in the league, which has spanned since early October, while reducing the gap to the European qualifying spots to six points with just eight matches remaining in the season.

Match overview

Last Saturday, Estoril Praia secured another vital win in their pursuit of a top-four finish, holding firm for a narrow 1-0 victory over Nacional at Estadio da Madeira.

Áustrian defender Felix Bacher scored his second goal in four games by heading in Joao Carvalho’s corner kick within the eighth minute, and the visitors maintained a strong defensive display to preserve the win.

Estoril Praia is now unbeaten in seven of their last 10 Primeira Liga fixtures this year, boasting five victories and two draws, with defeats only to title contenders Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.

This impressive run positions Ian Cathro’s team in the hunt for European qualification, currently sitting seventh in the league with 37 points from 26 matches, trailing Braga by nine points for the Conference League qualifying position as the final stretch of the season approaches.

Conversely, a rejuvenated Rio Ave managed to seize three crucial points in their fight for survival as they narrowly defeated Estrela Amadora 2-1 at home last weekend, moving five points clear of the relegation zone.

January acquisition Jalen Blesa once again delivered a standout performance, scoring before and after the half-time interval at Estadio dos Arcos, putting his side up by two goals, before Rodrigo Pinho found the net in the 65th minute to reduce the deficit for Estrela.

Before this, Rio Ave ended a streak of six consecutive defeats on March 1, playing out a goalless draw with Famalicao at home, shortly before securing a 1-0 win against Tondela at Estadio Joao Cardoso thanks to Blesa’s strike in the 70th minute.

This improvement in form has bolstered Sotiris Sylaidopoulos’ team’s efforts to maintain their top-flight status for a fifth consecutive year, with Rio Ave now sitting in 12th place in the Primeira Liga table, having accumulated 27 points from 26 matches, which puts them five points above Nacional in 16th place, who are in the relegation playoff zone.

However, Rio Ave’s next challenge is a difficult away match at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, where Estoril remains unbeaten in their last nine league matches, with five wins and four draws since a tight 1-0 loss to Sporting Lisbon on September 27.

Team News

Unless there are last-minute fitness concerns, Kevin Boma remains the sole absentee for Estoril Praia this weekend, as the young defender has been out since February with a muscle injury.

Yanis Begraoui scored a hat-trick to lead the Canarinhos to a decisive 4-0 win against Rio Ave in their earlier meeting last November, and the Moroccan forward, who is currently third in the Primeira Liga Golden Boot race with 17 goals, will seek to trouble the visitors once again.

For Rio Ave, Sylaidopoulos will not be able to include Costa Rican midfielder Brandon Aguilera Zamora, who has missed six matches due to a cruciate ligament injury.

French defender Julien Lomboto has been sidelined since injuring himself against Arouca in January and will also miss this match, while Dario Spikic is a significant doubt after sustaining an injury in the recent game against Estrela.

Spanish forward Blesa has been in excellent form for Rio Ave since joining from Cesena in the winter transfer window, scoring four goals in his last six appearances, so he will be one to keep an eye on this weekend.

Estoril Praia probable starting XI:

Robles; Carvalho, Ferro, Bacher, Sanchez; Orellana, Tsoungui, Holsgrove; Carvalho, Marques, Begraoui

Rio Ave probable starting XI:

Van der Gouw; Vrousai, Brabec, Mancha, Abbey; Nikitscher, Ntoi; Bezerra, Pohlmann, Dario Tome; Injury

Rio Ave has turned their fortunes around in recent times, but they will need to perform at their best against a resilient Estoril Praia team that they have struggled to defeat in their last five meetings, losing three and settling for two draws since securing a 2-0 victory in February 2023.

The Canarinhos have established their home ground as a challenging venue for any visiting team, and we anticipate they will secure the desired outcome in this match as they pursue a top-four finish.