Preview: Vitoria de Guimaraes vs AVS – prediction, team news, lineups

Primeira Liga football resumes on Friday as Vitoria de Guimaraes welcome AVS to Estadio D. Afonso Henriques for matchday 12’s opening fixture.

Both sides returned from the international break with Taca de Portugal victories; the Conquerors smashed four past third-division side Mortagua, while Os Avenses edged Academico Viseu on penalties following a goalless draw after extra time.

Match preview

Sitting ninth and five points off the top five in the Primeira Liga standings, Vitoria’s early season has not quite gone to plan for a side carrying the ambition to make amends for last term’s near success.

The Conquerors fell off at the final hurdle in their race for a European berth, having lost their last two games to finish three points behind fifth-placed Santa Clara, while they have managed just 14 points after 12 games this campaign.

Vitoria have struggled with consistency, their four league victories separated by a pair of winless games, but Luis Pinto’s men have another opportunity to break that curious pattern after their 1-0 win against Tondela in their most recent top-flight outing.

While taking maximum points was commendable, Pinto will no doubt be searching for solutions to his team’s struggles in the final third, with that stoppage-time penalty strike from Oumar Camara being Os Conquistadores’s only goal in three Primeira Liga games following 2-0 and 3-0 defeats to Famalicao and Benfica, respectively.

The fourth worst attack in the division, only Santa Clara (9) and the bottom two sides – including Friday’s last-placed visitors AVS (8) – have scored fewer than Vitoria, while their defence has not offered respite, having conceded 17 at the other end.

Home form has not been quite explosive either, with two victories in their five league matches (D2, L1) at Afonso Henriques this term, but the Conquerors can be confident of taking maximum points here against a side they beat in their only previous meeting at the ground – a 2-0 success in last season’s corresponding fixture.

The only team yet to record a win this Primeira Liga campaign, AVS enter Friday’s encounter hoping for a repeat of history, having earned their first triumph of 2024-25 against Vitoria, with that 1-0 home success also marking a historic maiden victory in the top flight.

Despite his team’s struggles, Joao Pedro Sousa can take solace from his side’s improved return in recent weeks after Os Avenses avoided defeats in three consecutive games across all competitions for the first time this term, including back-to-back draws in the league.

Even if settling for a 2-2 result in their early-season scrap against Tondela was underwhelming, rescuing a point at the death in a 1-1 stalemate with an in-form Gil Vicente is impressive for a side that had suffered eight defeats in their opening 10 games of the Primeira campaign.

Meanwhile, netting three goals across their last two top-flight outings is also an improved return from just two in their previous six, though Os Avenses remain the second-worst attacking side with eight scored in 11 outings, while shipping 25 at the other end leaves them with fewer strikes conceded than only Arouca (30).

That said, AVS’s most recent defeat came in their last game on the road – a 2-0 setback at Santa Clara on matchday nine – meaning the Vila das Aves outfit have now lost four of their five away league matches this season, so picking up a point on Friday would count as a commendable result.

 

Vitoria de Guimaraes Primeira Liga form:

Vitoria de Guimaraes form (all competitions):

AVS Primeira Liga form:

AVS form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Aside from the injured Gustavo Silva, Vitoria seemingly do not have any other absentees, though midfielder Matija Mitrovic was not in the squad for last weekend’s Taca de Portugal game.

Goalkeeper Juan Castillo is likely to return between the sticks for this one after being rested last time out, meaning Charles would make way.

Having missed the previous league encounter through suspension, Fabio Blanco returned with a goal in the Portuguese Cup at the weekend and is expected to retain his spot on the left flank, while Telmo Arcanjo should also get back into the lineup, having found the net off the bench in that game.

AVS will take to the pitch without the services of Spanish defender Guillem Molina, who has been ruled out since suffering a fibula injury back in August, while Brazilian defender Aderllan Santos is set to sit out his eighth consecutive game.

On the other hand, Angel Algobia returned from his injury layoff last weekend, making a substitute appearance in the second half of regulation time in that penalty victory in the Portuguese Cup over Academico, and should get more minutes on Friday.

Veteran attacker Nene came off the bench to score the equaliser against Gil in the last league outing, though the 42-year-old might not get a start here, having played the whole 120 minutes last time out, so Tomane is likely to be back leading the line.

 

Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting lineup:

Castillo; Lebedenko, Abascal, Rivas, Maga; Beni, Mitrovic; Blanco, Samu, Arcanjo; Oliveira

AVS possible starting lineup:

Goncalves; Bane, Semedo, Devenish, Kiki; Grau, Assuncao; Spencer, Barbosa, Perea; Tomane

We say: Vitoria de Guimaraes 2-0 AVS

After a convincing victory in the domestic cup, Vitoria will enter Friday’s encounter full of confidence and should come out tops, though AVS are expected to prove stubborn considering their newly found resilience. 

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