Preview: Tondela vs. Braga - prediction, team news, lineups

Tondela will be looking to avoid a third defeat on the trot when they play host to Braga at the Estadio Joao Cardoso in round 23 of the Primeira Liga on Sunday.

The visitors, on the other hand, head into the game fresh off the back of a Europa League defeat at FC Sheriff Tiraspol and will look to quickly return to winning ways.

Match preview

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Tondela continue to struggle for form in the Portuguese Primeira Liga as they fell to a slender 1-0 defeat at the hands of Tondela last Saturday.

In an action-packed contest at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, Brazilian forward Arthur Gomes came up trumps for the hosts as he scored the winner four minutes away from time.

Pako Ayestaran's men have now lost each of their most recent two games, shipping four goals and scoring one, while they have managed just one win in their last six league outings.

With 20 points from 22 games, Tondela are currently 15th in the Primeira Liga standings, level on points with Famalicao and one point above Moreirense in the relegation playoff spot.

While the have scored the most goals among the sides in the bottom half of the table, CTD Auriverdes' struggles have come at the defensive end of the pitch, where they boast the division's poorest record with 44 goals conceded so far.

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Meanwhile, Braga suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at the hands of Sheriff Tiraspol when the sides met in the first leg of their Europa League tie on Thursday.

Despite seeing less than 35% of the ball possession, Sebastien Thill and Adama Traore scored in either half to hand the Moldovan side a comfortable first-leg advantage.

Braga now turn their attention to the Primeira Liga where they have won three of their last four games, including a 2-1 victory over Pacos de Ferreira last Saturday.

In that encounter, Ricardo Horta struck twice in the closing 23 minutes of the game to cancel out Vitorino Antunes's 45th-minute opener and turn the tie on its head.

With 41 points from 22 games, Os Arcebispo are currently fourth in the league standings, four points above Gil Vicente in the final Conference League qualification spot.

Next up is an opposing side who they are unbeaten against in 13 of the last 15 meetings between the teams, claiming 12 wins in that time, including each of their most three encounters.

Team News

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Tondela will take to the pitch without the services of Jota Goncalves, who has been out of action since last September through a severe knee injury.

He is joined on the CTD Auriverdes' injury table by Simone Muratore after the Italian midfielder picked up an injury in October's game against Belenenses.

Meanwhile, Andre Horta will sit out Saturday's game as he serves his suspension after seeing red in the game against Pacos de Ferreira last week.

On the injury front, Braga remain without the services of Nuno Sequeira after the 31-year-old defender picked up a knee injury in the game against Benfica back in November.

Brazilian midfielder Lucas Minero is also out of contention for Os Arcebispo after sustaining a muscle injury in January's game versus Maritimo.

Tondela possible starting lineup:
Trigueira; Almeida, Quaresma, Alves, Khacef; Undabarrena, Augusto; Boselli, Barbosa, Agra; Anjos

Braga possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Tormena, P Oliveira, Leite; Silva, Castro, Moura, Al Musrati; V Oliveira, R Horta, Ruiz

We say: Tondela 0-2 Braga

Braga head into Sunday's game on a three-game winning streak against Tondela and will look to keep this fine run going. Ayestaran's side have struggled for form this season and we predict the visitors will bounce back from their Europa League defeat and claim all three points against the floundering hosts.

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