Moreirense vs Marítimo – News and Probable Lineups

Moreirense and the newly promoted Maritimo will be aiming to halt a streak of two straight defeats in the Primeira Liga when they face off at Parque de Jogo Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas on Monday for the sixth matchday.

The greens and whites were convincingly defeated by Benfica in their rearranged fixture from week three, just four days after the Eagles recorded a resounding win against O Maior das Ilhas in their round-five clash.

Match overview

Last season, Moreirense ended in seventh place in the league standings—three spots better than the preceding season—which was a commendable feat under Vasco Botelho da Costa’s first year as head coach. However, the 37-year-old has had a tough beginning to his second season with the Moreira outfit.

The Green and Whites currently find themselves in 13th position in the Primeira Liga table, having secured only four points from their first five games—eight less than they had accumulated by this stage in 2025-26.

Defensive errors have been central to Moreirense’s difficulties this season, as they have conceded a league-high 12 goals, allowing two or more goals in every match where they have dropped points.

This term, Vasco Botelho da Costa has seen his team keep just one clean sheet, which came in a 1-0 victory over bottom-placed Casa Pia, while their losses to Arouca, Maritimo, and Benfica indicate that the defense has regularly appeared exposed.

The 4-0 drubbing by Benfica recently marked their second such heavy defeat in four matches, with goals from Vangelis Pavlidis, Andreas Schjelderup, Gianluca Prestianni, and substitute Fredrik Aursnes securing the win.

Moreirense is now without a win in their last three league home matches (D2, L1), yet there’s no doubt that Os verdes e brancos had a solid home record in 2025-26, having garnered 27 points from a possible 51, and they will aim to leverage that here.

Maritimo, on the other hand, comes into this match following their own disappointing loss, having also succumbed to a 3-0 defeat against Benfica in their most recent outing, with Leandro Barreiro netting twice before Gianluca Prestianni added a third late in the game.

This defeat extended O Maior das Ilhas’ winless run, which included a draw against fellow promoted side Academico de Viseu on matchday three, followed by consecutive losses against Arouca and Benfica.

Before this sequence, Maritimo had started the campaign strongly, winning their opening two fixtures against Casa Pia and Famalicao, meaning that their seven points from a possible 15 reflects a commendable performance for a side returning to the top flight this season after a three-year hiatus.

While Mitchell van der Gaag’s team will strive to recover, past encounters offer little clarity on how Monday’s clash might play out, given that the teams have not faced each other since 2022, when the corresponding match ended with a 1-0 victory for the islanders in Moreira de Conegos.

Maritimo has also experienced some success in away matches lately, with one of their two away games this season resulting in a 2-1 win at Famalicao, and they will be looking for another strong away performance in Minho.

Team News

Moreirense will be without Guilherme Liberato for a second consecutive fixture after the Brazilian midfielder received a two-match suspension from the FPF Disciplinary Council for a late red card he received at Porto, which means Mateja Stjepanovic is expected to continue his role in midfield.

On a more positive note for Botelho da Costa, Benfica loanee Joao Veloso is set to return to the starting XI after missing the midweek loss due to the league’s parent-club policy, but the 21-year-old is likely to replace Rodrigo Alonso in the midfield.

All four of Moreirense’s league goals this season have not been scored by recognized forwards, so Botelho da Costa will be eager for Alexandre Duville-Parsemain to find his scoring form as he leads the line yet again. Yan Maranhao stands as another option for the number-nine position.

Meanwhile, Maritimo’s 26-year-old winger Simo Bouzaidi remains a doubtful presence after being sidelined by a leg injury for the last two matchdays.

Tomas Tavares and Yellu Santiago are also doubts, while Nathanael Ogbeta continues his recovery from injury, with Paulo Henrique expected to maintain his role on the left side of defense.

Moreirense probable starting XI:

Ferreira; Pinto, Batista, Maracas, Kiko; John, Stjepanovic; Mendonca, Veloso, Landerson; Duville-Parsemain

Maritimo probable starting XI:

Shepherd; Juliao, Fernandes, Correia, Henrique; ANDRADE, Danilovic; Limbombe, Guzzo, Tejon; Butzke

Both teams enter this match seeking a strong response after being decisively outperformed by Benfica in their previous games, and their mutual defensive weaknesses suggest that more goals could be on the horizon on Monday, making a draw a likely possibility.