Preview: Santa Clara vs. Boavista - prediction, team news, lineups

Boavista will look to put an end to a run of two consecutive league defeats on Saturday, when they travel to take on Santa Clara with a win potentially lifting them out of the drop zone.

After back-to-back losses, the visitors have fallen back into the bottom three of the Primeira Liga table, currently occupying the relegation place with a two point gap between themselves and automatic safety.

Match preview

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Santa Clara suffered a narrow defeat last time out, when the travelled to take on third-placed Benfica.

The hosts took the lead through a Carlos own goal, but Anderson Carvalho equalised for Santa Clara, before Chiquinho netted the winning goal in the 73rd minute for the Portuguese giants.

While that was not an overly disheartening result for Daniel Ramos's side, it did stretch their winless run to three games in the top flight, having previously lost 1-0 to Vitoria de Guimaraes and drawn 0-0 with Moreirense.

As a result, Os Acoreanos have fallen behind both Vitoria and Moreirense, now sitting in eighth spot with just a one-point lead over ninth-placed Tondela.

Ramos will be hopeful of his side stopping their decline on Saturday, as they look to earn back their place in the top six with the end of the season approaching.

They take on a Boavista side who need a win for different reasons, as they look to climb out of the bottom three.

Jesualdo Ferreira's men come into this game on the back of consecutive defeats, having lost 1-0 in an important game at home to fellow strugglers Maritimo last time out.

While they did previously climb out of the drop zone with a run of two wins and a draw from their first three games in April, As Panteras have since fallen back into danger following those last two defeats.

Now occupying the relegation place, Boavista sit just two points above the automatic drop zone, meaning they could quickly be dragged back into the bottom two.

However, they remain just two points adrift of automatic safety, and Ferreira will be encouraged by the fact that they could jump back out of the bottom three with a win on Saturday.

Team News

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Santa Clara will remain without centre-back Fabio Cardoso, who will serve the second match of his two-game suspension, having accumulated 10 domestic yellow cards this season.

Forward Rui Costa has been dropped to the bench for the last two games, as Crysan made a return to the starting XI with Carlos operating as the centre-forward.

However, Costa will be pushing for a return, as the attack has looked noticeably less threatening in his absence.

Boavista will be boosted by the return of centre-back Jackson Porozo, after he served a suspension last time out for a red card shown in the defeat to Braga.

He may struggle to get back in the side though, as Cristian Devenish returned to the lineup last time out to reform the familiar back three alongside Adil Rami and Chidozie Awaziem.

At the other end of the pitch, the forward line of Yusupha Njie, Alberth Elis and Angel Gomes should offer plenty of threat, with the players registering a combined four goals and three assists in the last four league outings.

Santa Clara possible starting lineup:
Marco; Ramos, Afonso, Villanueva, Mansur; Lincoln, Morita, Carvalho; Carlos, Costa, Allano

Boavista possible starting lineup:
Leonardo; Devenish, Rami, Awaziem; Cannon, Santos, Cafumana, Sauer; Gomes, Elis, Njie

We say: Santa Clara 1-2 Boavista

With the battle for survival heating up, we see Boavista galvanising to pick up a crucial victory on Saturday.

The hosts have dipped in form in recent weeks, and could get caught out at home by a resilient Boavista outfit who will be desperate to bounce back from consecutive top-flight defeats.