After taking steps forward in their respective battles at opposite ends of the Primeira Liga table, Boavista and Porto prepare to lock horns in the Invicta Derby at Estadio do Bessa in what could prove decisive for both their fates in the campaign.
While the Chequered Ones eked out a vital win to climb into the relegation playoff spot, the Dragons capitalised on Braga’s latest slip to move into third.
Match preview
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An 89th-minute winner from Abdoulay Diaby handed Boavista all three points at Vila das Aves, dragging them off the bottom of the standings and into 16th on head-to-head record with 24 points in a tight three-way scrap with AVS and Farense.
Having looked all but dead and buried only a few weeks ago, the Chequered Ones have discovered late life in their fight for survival, and their recent uplift has coincided with the arrival of Stuart Baxter, who has overseen two wins in three since taking charge.
The English-Scottish tactician stepped in with Boavista languishing five points adrift of the relegation playoff spot, but his influence has been immediate, with the Black and Whites now taking nine points from their last five outings.
However, all three of Os Axadrezados’s recent victories have come away from home, and while that has been enough to keep their hopes flickering, the next step will be ending their dismal run at the Bessa, where they have suffered four successive defeats.
The Black and Whites have collected just six points from 16 matches on their own turf this season – the worst return in the division – and their struggles in front of goal have been a defining factor in that miserable streak.
The Chequered Ones have failed to find the net in 10 of those fixtures and remain the league’s least prolific team at home with a meagre tally of seven goals, a blunt edge Boavista must sharpen if they are to stand a chance of unsettling a Porto side chasing a place in Europe.
Despite the odds stacked against them, Baxter’s side may take solace from their last encounter with the Dragons at the Bessa, which ended in a 1-1 draw, though even that result would do little to ease the pressure currently weighing on their shoulders.
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For Porto, the timing of Braga’s stumbles has finally worked in their favour, as they leapt into third following a convincing 3-1 win over Moreirense, ending a frustrating run of missed opportunities to close the gap.
Martin Anselmi‘s men had squandered a similar chance in the previous round when they were beaten by Estrela Amadora, despite their rivals only managing a point at Famalicao, but this time they took full advantage.
Now level on 65 points with the Archbishops but ahead on goal difference, the Dragons have their destiny in their own hands and will look to keep momentum on their side with only two rounds remaining.
Porto have claimed six victories in their last nine top-flight matches, a strong enough return to suggest they can finish the season strongly, especially given their dominance in recent editions of the Invicta Derby.
The Dragons have won six of the last seven clashes against Boavista, including a comfortable 4-0 success in the reverse fixture, and will arrive at the Bessa with confidence that they can again impose themselves on their local rivals.
However, the visitors will be wary of another slip on their trips, having lost to relegation-threatened Estrela in their last game away from home – their sixth top-flight defeat on the road this season.
Despite those setbacks, Porto remain the fourth-best travellers in the league, with 26 points collected outside their turf, and victory here would certainly strengthen the Blue and Whites’s bid for a top-three finish.
Team News
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Miguel Reisinho‘s return comes as a major lift for Boavista, with the 26-year-old expected to slot into the middle of the park in place of either Van Ginkel or Joel Silva.
Rodrigo Abascal will need to tread carefully, as a booking here would see him miss the final and potentially decisive game of the season.
Meanwhile, the hosts are hampered by a lengthy injury list, with Joao Goncalves, Marco Ribeiro, Tomas Silva, Layvin Kurzawa, Luis Pires and Tiago Machado all sidelined.
Porto are not without their own fitness concerns, although fewer, as Vasco Sousa, Marko Grujic and Diogo Costa remain unavailable.
Teenage sensation Rodrigo Mora penned a new contract in midweek and will head into this one brimming with belief as he looks to make his mark from the flanks.
Samu Aghehowa made the most of his return to the starting line-up by bagging a brace last time out, and he should once again get the nod ahead of Deniz Gul.
Boavista possible starting lineup:
Vaclík; Ferreira, Fogning, Abascal, Kakay; Reisinho, Perez, Silva; Diaby, Bozeník, Agra
Porto possible starting lineup:
Ramos; Marcano, Eustaquio, Pedro; Moura, Varela, Vieira, Fernandes; Pepe, Aghehowa, Mora
We say: Boavista 0-1 Porto
Derbies tend to bring a fierce edge, and this one will be no different, particularly given how much is riding on it for both teams in their respective battles.
That said, while Boavista have found new life in recent weeks, Porto remain favourites to win this contest based on their dominant head-to-head record, with the hosts’ bluntness on home soil only adding to the visitors’ advantage.
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