As both sides continue to fight for their Primeira Liga survival with two games to play, Estrela Amadora will welcome second-from-bottom AVS to Estadio Jose Gomes on Sunday.
The Tricolores will be looking to bounce back after tasting defeat last time out, while the relegation-threatened visitors will be desperate to avoid yet another loss.
Match preview
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Jose Faria‘s Estrela are just two points from guaranteed safety in the Portugese top flight, but with five losses from their last seven matches, fans would be forgiven for being concerned despite their advantageous position.
On Monday, the Tricolores followed up their surprise 1-0 win over Porto by returning to their usual form and losing 2-0 on the road to 10th-placed Rio Ave, marking the fifth consecutive defeat in which they have failed to score.
Missing out on their chance to secure their spot in the division last time out left Faria’s side 15th in the table, four points ahead of Boavista, AVS and Farense, all of whom are level on 24.
With two games remaining, simply maintaining the gap would be enough for the hosts to avoid the drop, but after losing five, drawing two and winning just one of their last eight at Estadio Sao Gomes, they will have to defy their home record to put their minds at ease.
An eighth victory of the season would confirm Estrela’s place in the 2025-26 Primeira Liga and could see them join Gil Vicente on 32 points, but defeat would set up an extremely tense, high-stakes final day trip to Estoril.
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Meanwhile, Jose Mota‘s AVS are on the brink of demotion after a dire run of form that has seen them lose seven and draw just one of their last eight league games, and having taken maximum points only once since January, their most realistic hope of survival rests on making the division’s relegation playoff.
Most recently, the visitors were beaten 2-1 on their own turf in a six-pointer by rivals Boavista, though they will feel unlucky considering that they registered more than twice as many efforts on goal as their opponents and lost the crucial clash to an 89th-minute goal from Abdoulay Diaby.
Regardless, that defeat dropped Mota’s side down to 17th in the table and saw them usurped in the playoff spot by Os Axadrezados, but given that the entire bottom three are level on points with with two games remaining, they can still salvage their first ever top-flight season.
That being said, AVS have lost four consecutive away games ahead of Sunday’s clash, and having won just once on the road across the entire league campaign, they will need to recreate the type of performance that allowed them to triumph over Farense in early March if they are to bounce back.
Three points for Mota’s team could lift them up to 16th depending on results elsewhere, and would take them to within two points of Estrela, giving the promoted side the chance to earn survival against Moreirense at Estadio do CD das Aves next weekend.
Team News
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Estrela will be without midfielder Alan Ruiz, who is suspended for accumulating yellow cards, and Faria could turn to Leo Codeiro to replace him in the XI this weekend.
Elsewhere, centre-back Miguel Lopes is a doubt as he works his way back from an injury that has kept him out of action since late March.
In his absence, Renato Pantalon and Issiar Drame should start in the backline, with Diogo Travassos and Guilherme Montoia either side of them at full-back.
As for AVS, boss Mota has a largely fit squad to choose from, so expect Cristian Castro to line up alongside Baptiste Roux at the heart of defence, shielding goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
In the centre of the park, Gustavo Assuncao should join Jaume Grau at the base of midfield, while Babatunde Akinsola, Lucas Piazon and John Mercado start behind top-scoring veteran striker Nene.
Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:
Costa; Travassos, Pantalon, Drame, Montoia; Moreira, Ourdrhiri, Codeiro; Bucca, Kikas, Cabral
AVS possible starting lineup:
Ochoa; Fonseca, Castro, Roux, Veiga; Assuncao, Ciscar; Akinsola, Piazon, Mercado; Nene
We say: Estrela Amadora 1-1 AVS
Neither side have been in the strongest form ahead of this game, but with their futures in the Primeira Liga at stake, expect to see a close-fought contest.
Additionally, Estrela have struggled for goals while AVS have been poor on the road, and this match is likely to be low-scoring as a result.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
