Still licking their wounds from a second consecutive domestic cup exit, Academico de Viseu return to action in the Primeira Liga when they welcome Rio Ave to the Estadio Municipal do Fontelo on Sunday.

The home side head into the weekend as one of the most improved and in-form sides in the division, having won each of their last five league games, while Rio Ave will be looking to shake off another disappointing league performance and pull clear of the danger zone.

Match preview

Two weeks on since crashing out of the Taca de Portugal in a 1-0 loss to Campeonato de Portugal side CD Fatima, Academico de Viseu were knocked out of the Taca da Liga on Wednesday when they fell to a 1-0 loss against Porto.

Having completed a loan move from Italian giants AC Milan in the summer, Santiago Gimenez finally opened his account at the Estadio do Dragao with a 45th-minute penalty to send Porto through to the semi-finals.

Sandwiched between the two cup defeats, Academico Viseu secured arguably their most impressive result since their top-flight return last Sunday, when they edged out 21-time Portuguese champions Sporting CP 2-1 at the Estadio Jose Alvalade thanks to a brace from Joao Guilherme.

After failing to win their opening four matches, last weekend’s result marked a fifth consecutive Primeira Liga win for Bruno Pinheiro’s men, following successive league victories against Estoril Praia, Estrela Amadora, Vitoria de Guimaraes and Gil Vicente in their previous four outings.

Academico Viseu gained promotion from the Segunda Liga last season to end a 37-year wait for top-flight football, and they have quickly established themselves in the top half of the Primeira Liga standings, where they occupy sixth place with 17 points from nine games, level on points with fifth-placed Arouca.

On the other hand, Rio Ave saw their defensive vulnerabilities exposed once again as they suffered a 4-0 hammering against Famalicao when the two sides squared off at the Estadio do Rio Ave FC last Sunday.

Following a goalless first half, the hosts were cut open like hot knife through butter in the second half, with goals from Romeo Beney, Pedro Santos and a late brace from Oscar Aranda firing Famalicao to another dominant league victory.

This followed what seemed like a resurgent run of two consecutive league-and-cup victories for Rio Ave, having snapped their four-game winless run in the league with a narrow 3-2 victory over Nacional on October 11, six days before defeating third-tier Louletano DC 1-0 in the Taca de Portugal third round.

Vasco Seabra’s side have lost six of their nine matches in a difficult start to the campaign while picking two wins and one draw to collect seven points and sit 16th in the league table, level on points with Nacional and Casa Pia.

Rio Ave will be backing themselves to rekindle their turnaround this weekend against an opposing side who have lost each of their most recent three meetings, but their form on the road is another source of concern, having managed just one win from six Primeira Liga away games ahead of the trip to the Estadio Municipal do Fontelo.

Academico de Viseu Primeira Liga form:

Academico de Viseu form (all competitions):

Rio Ave Primeira Liga form:

Rio Ave form (all competitions):

Team News

Guilherme turned in a brilliant individual display to put Sporting CP to the sword last Sunday, and the Brazilian midfielder should retain his role in the front three, teaming up with Andre Clovis and 22-year-old Lorougnon Gohi.

Having missed the cup defeat against Porto, Ricardo Ribeiro should come into the fray this weekend, forming the back four with Anthony Correia, Nikolaos Michelis and Coventry City loanee Miguel Angel Brau.

Meanwhile, Rio Ave remain without the services of Costa Rican midfielder Brandon Aguilera Zamora, who has been sidelined since January through a cruciate ligament injury.

Polish goalkeeper Cezary Miszta is also yet to feature for this weekend’s visitors this season due to a back injury and the 25-year-old is also out of contention for the trip to the Estadio Municipal do Fontelo.

Academico de Viseu possible starting lineup:

Ewerton; Ribeiro, Correia, Michelis, Brau; Kahraman, Silva, Messeguem; Guilherme, Gohi, Clovis

Rio Ave possible starting lineup:

Hugo; Vrousai, Ntoi, Mancha, Tome; Liavas, Nascimento; Diogo Bezerra, Patricio, Clemmensen; Blesa

We say: Academico de Viseu 2-1 Rio Ave

With a league-high 21 goals conceded already, defensive struggles has been a major sticking point for Rio Ave, and given Academico’s flying league form, the visitors are in for another tough 90 minutes this weekend. Rio Ave will draw inspiration from their winning streak against Academico, but we predict Pinheiro’s side will do just enough to secure all three points in front of their home supporters.

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