Rio Ave vs Estrela Amadora - prediction, team news, lineups

Rio Ave host Estrela Amadora at Estadio do Rio Ave on Monday evening in a Primeira Liga fixture between two sides heading in sharply opposite directions after the opening weeks of the season.

Sotiris Silaidopoulos's side arrive on the back of consecutive 4-0 defeats, while Pepa's newly rebuilt Estrela travel to Vila do Conde unbeaten through their first five league matches for the first time in the club's history.

Rio Ave were beaten 4-0 at home by Sporting CP, with Luis Javier Suarez scoring twice either side of goals from Flavio Goncalves and Geny Catamo in a first half in which the visitors punished every mistake, and Silaidopoulos's side offered little response after the interval.

That defeat was followed by an even more chastening result last week when the Vilacondenses lost 4-0 away at Santa Clara at the Estadio de Sao Miguel in the Azores, meaning the club have now shipped eight goals without scoring in their last two matches.

Silaidopoulos, now in his second season in charge, will be looking for a response from a group that has scored just twice across its first five league outings this season while conceding 11 times, with only Moreirense allowing more (12).

Rio Ave's home form does not offer much recent comfort either heading into this clash, with the loss to Sporting CP being their second loss at Estadio do Rio Ave this season after losing 2-0 to Porto in their maiden home game.

With confidence low after back-to-back heavy defeats, the Vilacondenses face a daunting task on Monday against a Estrela side that has been one of the surprise packages of the opening weeks of the campaign.

However, they will be counting on their recent record in this fixture, having won the last three meetings between both sides, with two of those as hosts.

Estrela Amadora, by contrast, have made history in the opening rounds of the season, with the current team becoming the first side in the club's top-flight history to finish the first five matchdays of a league campaign unbeaten.

That run continued with a 2-1 win at home to Braga last time out, which followed a 2-2 draw with Famalicao and a 3-2 away win at Nacional earlier in the campaign.

Leandro Antonetti has been central to that transformation, scoring in each of the club's first four league matches of the season, a feat that made him the first Estrela player to score in three consecutive top-flight games in 17 years.

Pepa, appointed in June on a two-year deal, has overseen a near-total rebuild of the squad, with only nine players retained from last season's relegation battle and new investment bringing in signings such as Lovro Zvonarek and Stefan Lekovic.

That investment, linked to figures including Thomas Muller and Yann Sommer as part of a new ownership approach, has clearly reinvigorated a club that finished 15th and had to fight off relegation last season, and Estrela will arrive in Vila do Conde with genuine belief they can extend their unbeaten start against a Rio Ave side low on confidence.

Rio Ave will again be without goalkeeper Cezary Miszta, who continues his recovery from surgery, leaving Silaidopoulos with Ennio van der Gouw between the posts.

Ryan Guilherme (ankle) and Brandon Aguilera (ACL) are also set to remain sidelined, while Diogo Nascimento and Nelson Abbey's availability remains uncertain.

The manager will likely keep a core of the players that have started the last few games despite the result, with Tamble Monteiro set to lead the line as he looks to his one league goal.

Estrela Amadora have no fresh injury concerns of note after the win over Braga, with Pepa expected to select the same group that has kept the club unbeaten through five matches.

Antonetti will look to continue his scoring form as he leads the line once again, with Ianis Stoica, who scored a brace last time out, playing from the left wing.

Van der Gouw; Liavas, Petrasso, Mancha, Vrousai; Ntoi, Nikitscher; Spikic, Blesa, Bezerra; Monteiro

Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:

Linck; Scholze, Patrick, Lekovic Soares, Rafa; Doue, Serra; Marcus, Zvonarek, Stoica; Antonetti

Estrela Amadora's historic unbeaten start, Pepa's clearly effective rebuild, and Antonetti's outstanding scoring form make them the more dangerous side on paper, even away from home.

We expect the home side's defensive struggles, having conceded eight goals without reply in their last two matches, to be exposed again, with the visitors’ momentum proving enough to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.
 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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