Two teams chasing vastly different goals at opposite ends of the table will square off at Estadio Jose Gomes this weekend, as Porto make the trip to face Estrela Amadora.
The Lions are aiming to extend their flawless run in pursuit of a top-three finish, while Estrela look to end their slump and tighten their grip on safety in the Primeira Liga.
Match preview
© Imago
Porto notched a second consecutive league victory last weekend, edging Famalicao 2-1 at Estadio do Dragao, with Rodrigo Mora once again stealing the spotlight through two moments of sheer individual quality.
Mora opened the scoring after just 20 minutes, slipping past a swarm of defenders with dazzling footwork before seeing his deflected strike nestle into the net, and the teenager doubled his tally with a sumptuous left-footed curler early in the second half, rendering Pedro Bondo's late response irrelevant.
The 17-year-old has become a linchpin in Martin Anselmi's setup, finding the net in four of Porto's last five matches — all winning outings — with the only exception being the defeat to Benfica, which underlined just how vital his influence has become.
That loss saw Porto drop to fourth in the table, and although back-to-back wins have helped steady the ship, they remain one point adrift of Braga in third and are now 10 behind the top two, making a title charge in the 2024-25 campaign all but out of reach.
Nonetheless, victory this weekend could lift the Lions back into the top three, and they will be encouraged by a spotless head-to-head record in the top flight against Estrela, having won all three meetings without conceding, including a 2-0 triumph in the reverse fixture.
Porto's away form further strengthens their case, with Anselmi's men securing eight wins and amassing 26 points from 15 league games on the road — the fourth-best tally in the division.
The visitors' strong record contrasts sharply with Estrela's troubles at home, where they have suffered five defeats and picked up only two draws across their last seven matches at Estadio Jose Gomes.
© Imago
The Tricolours's woes deepened last time out as they followed a 1-0 home loss to SC Farense with another defeat by the same margin at Arouca, making it four games in five where they have failed to hit the target.
With just 22 goals scored this season, Estrela own the third-weakest attacking record in the league, and their defensive numbers hardly inspire confidence either, having shipped 43 so far.
That poor return has left the Amadora-based outfit hovering above the relegation playoff spot by just two points, with a meagre 26 collected from six wins, eight draws and 16 defeats, meaning any slip-up on Saturday could drag them into the drop zone.
Team News
© Imago
The hosts will once again be without the services of Miguel Lopes and Nilton Varela, both of whom remain sidelined through injury.
Kikas is expected to lead the line, favoured over Rodrigo Pinho due to his ability to knit play together, while Joao Costa should retain his spot in goal after saving a penalty last weekend.
For Porto, Martim Fernandes is back in contention after serving a suspension, though Joao Mario is tipped to keep his place at right-wing back.
Goncalo Borges is unavailable following his red card against Famalicao, which should pave the way for Pepe to retain his place out wide.
Anselmi will also be without Vasco Sousa and Marko Grujic, both of whom are currently sidelined through injury.
Mora, now on eight league goals, will be eager to extend his remarkable run of form and continue delivering when his side need him most.
Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:
J. Costa; Ferro, Drame, Pantalon; Lima, Keliano, Cordeiro, Travassos; Cabral, Pinho, Ruiz
Porto possible starting lineup:
Costa; Marcano, Eustaquio, Pedro; Moura, Varela, Vieira, Mario; Mora, Aghehowa, Pape
We say: Estrela Amadora 0-2 Porto
Porto have picked up three wins from their last four away fixtures in the league, keeping clean sheets in each of those victories, and with Estrela failing to score in all three of their previous top-flight meetings, another disciplined and low-scoring success for the visitors appears to be in the offing.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
