Rio Ave vs Gil Vicente – News and Probable Lineups

Gil Vicente will be striving for back-to-back victories for the first time since February as they head to the Estadio dos Arcos to take on Rio Ave in round 32 of the Primeira Liga this Sunday evening.

Rio Ave, currently on a streak of seven matches without a loss against the Gilistas, will be looking to extend this remarkable five-year record and push for a finish in the top half of the table.

Match overview

With only three fixtures remaining in the season, Rio Ave recognizes the importance of avoiding any missteps to secure a top-half position for the first time since the 2019-20 season, in which they achieved an impressive fifth-place finish.

Sotiris Sylaidopoulos’s squad displayed a lack of precision in attack last Friday, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Vitoria de Guimaraes at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques.

After a goalless first half, seasoned midfielder Samu broke the stalemate in the 72nd minute, putting Vitoria de Guimaraes ahead, and substitute Tony Strata sealed the victory with a goal in the 95th minute.

Having secured three consecutive wins against Tondela, Estrela Amadora, and Estoril Praia in March, Rio Ave has now dropped points in three of their last four outings, losing twice and earning one draw while conceding six goals and scoring five across those matches.

Although the Vilacondenses are not under threat of relegation, this dip in form has seen their ambitions for a top-half finish start to fade, as they now sit 12th in the Primeira Liga standings with 34 points from 31 matches, four points behind ninth-placed Alverca.

Nonetheless, Rio Ave is confident they can recover this weekend against a Gil Vicente team that hasn’t triumphed in their last seven league encounters, registering two losses and five draws since their 2-0 win back in April 2021.

Murilo shone yet again last Sunday, scoring twice to lead Gil Vicente to a hard-fought 2-1 win over relegation-threatened Casa Pia at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos.

The Brazilian forward netted his 10th and 11th league goals of the season on either side of Cassiano’s late penalty to secure all three points for the home side, leaving Casa Pia in the relegation zone.

This latest positive result is a boost for Gil Vicente in the crucial stretch of the season, as they have recorded two victories and one draw in their past four matches after failing to win in the previous five.

Cesar Peixoto’s squad currently holds the sixth position on the league table and remains in mathematical contention for a top-four finish, although with fourth-placed Braga sitting seven points ahead, the chance of a European return for the first time since 2022 appears increasingly slim.

Gil Vicente’s away form continues to be a significant concern, as they travel to the Estadio dos Arcos with just one win from their last 10 away games since November, having lost three and drawn six.

Team News

Rio Ave will need to manage without Greek midfielder Andreas Ntoi, who is serving a suspension after receiving a yellow card against Guimaraes last weekend.

In terms of injuries, the Vilacondenses will also be without Costa Rican midfielder Brandon Aguilera Zamora, who has been absent since January due to a cruciate ligament injury.

For Gil Vicente, Argentine midfielder Facundo Cesares was unavailable for the match against Casa Pia due to a muscle issue and will miss this fixture as well.

He is joined on the injury list by 21-year-old Mohamed Bamba, who remains sidelined following a serious injury sustained against Porto in January.

Rio Ave probable starting XI:

Van der Gouw; Vrousai, Brabec, Mancha, Abbey; Nikitscher, Guilherme; Bezerra, Spikic, Pohlmann; Injury

Gil Vicente probable starting XI:

Daniel: Konan, Buatu, Espigares, Ze Carlos; Stephen, Ze Carlos; Moreira, Garcia, Souza; Varela

Coming off their victory over Casa Pia, Gil Vicente will enter the weekend in good spirits as they aim to maintain their momentum and finish the season strongly.

However, they have faced challenges on the road, and with their last three fixtures against Rio Ave ending in draws, it seems both teams may neutralize each other’s efforts once again.