Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Primeira Liga clash between Casa Pia and Santa Clara, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Casa Pia and Santa Clara face off in Saturday’s gameweek three Primeira Liga match at Estadio Pina Manique keen to bounce back from last week’s defeats by Benfica and Porto.
Neither side was anticipated to get anything from round two but this weekend presents the opportunity to secure a positive result.
Match preview
© Reuters
Even though Casa Pia were not given a prayer against Benfica in gameweek two, the disappointment of conceding three times in the final 20 minutes was disappointing for Joao Pereira.
Casapianos withstood a barrage of attacks in the local derby, keen to secure a repeat of last season’s 1-1 draw at Estadio da Luz, only for Vangelis Pavlidis (70), Tiago Gouveia (80) and Fredrik Aursnes (90) to leave the away side empty-handed.
The upshot of last week’s result leaves Casa Pia propping up the standings after two gameweeks after conceding four goals and failing to find the back of the net.
While the season is still in its infancy, Pereira will hope his side get points on board to respond to their losing start to avoid being sucked into the relegation discussion.
Having ended the 2022-23 season 10th and last season ninth, the Lisbon outfit are in unusual territory after two games but still have time to turn the tide.
Their opponents hope to continue Casapianos’ underwhelming start to the 2024-25 campaign when they look to bounce back from the previous round’s loss to Porto.
Like Casa Pia against Benfica, newly promoted Santa Clara were not anticipated to shock a side of title-contending quality even if the match was played in Ponta Delgada.
The free-scoring Porto notched two goals in the opening half-hour through Ivan Jaime and Wenderson Galeno, leaving Vasco Matos‘ men in a disadvantaged position for the final hour of proceedings.
That task was made harder by Adriano Firmino‘s 65th-minute dismissal, and they head into round three keen to recover against winless opposition.
The new boys’ three-match winning streak at home (including second-tier games) may have ended against Porto, but a side that regained promotion without losing on the road aim to keep that run going in the top flight, having defeated Estoril 4-1 away in gameweek one.
Casa Pia Primeira Liga form:
Santa Clara Primeira Liga form:
Team News
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Kiki, out with a knee injury for most of last season, is not back from a fresh issue while new signing Clau Mendes (sprain) is also absent.
Having come through last weekend without a reported injury, Casa Pia could line up with a similar side from gameweek two, keen to notch their first points in 24-25.
Firmino is suspended for Santa Clara following last week’s sending-off against Porto, and Matos could start Gustavo Klismahn or Ricardinho in the middle of the park on Saturday.
With Firmino’s suspension as the only reported absentee, Santa Clara are expected to make minimal changes from last week.
Casa Pia possible starting lineup:
Sequeira; Goulart, Fonte, Zolotic; Larrazabal, Sousa, Mukendi, Lelo; Morreira, Obeng, Pablo
Santa Clara possible starting lineup:
Batista; Lima, Venancio, Silva; Soares, Ferreira, Klismahn, Araujo; Lopes, Safira, Silva
We say: Casa Pia 1-1 Santa Clara
While Casa Piaa are chasing their first points of the new season, the hosts may have to settle for just one against their returning opponents whose unbeaten road record in the second division has seemingly continued in the top tier.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.