Sporting Lisbon dey go Vila do Conde dis weekend to face Rio Ave for dia third Primeira Liga victory for a row. The Lions dey second for Portuguese top-flight table with seven points from dia opening three matches for 2026-27, while the hosts dey 10th with three points from possible nine.
Sporting don improve thursday week by week, but one worry still dey dia defense. Rui Borges men no don keep any clean sheet for three league outings dis season. Last weekend, dem beat Alverca 3-1 for Estadio Jose Alvalade, and that one na di most convincing display so far. But just like di 2-2 draw with Estrela Amadora and 3-2 win over Vitoria de Guimaraes, di Lions show small vulnerability for later stages after taking commanding lead.
Against Alverca, Sporting bin dey 3-0 up at hour mark. Maximiliano Araujo score early, Matheus Mendes score own goal, and Luis Suarez add third. Figueiredo later score consolation for Alverca, but e too late to inspire comeback. Though two wins from three matches no bad, defending champions Porto dey top with two points more. So di need to find another gear dey important, especially as Sporting lose title by six-point margin last term.
One thing wey dey encourage Sporting be dia away record. Dem no don lose league match away from home for almost two years, though na only two wins from dia last six away trips, with four draws. But for dis weekend, dem go face Rio Ave wey just get dia first win of campaign.
Rio Ave beat Estoril Praia 2-0 for Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota last weekend. Na im be dia first victory, after dem suffer defeats to Gil Vicente (1-0) and Porto (2-0) for dia first two fixtures. Jalen Blesa open scoring inside 15 minutes, then turn provider for Tamble Monteiro for 72nd minute to seal all three points. Dat result end Rio Ave seven-match winless league run wey stretch back to last term matchday 29 victory over Santa Clara.
Sotiris Sylaidopoulos side bin finish 12th for 2025-26 due to dat poor end, but ambition dis season na to finish for top half. However, dia home record dey poor. Rio Ave no don win any of dia last five league matches at Estadio dos Arcos, with two draws and three losses. Last term, dem manage just three victories from 17 home games, collecting only 15 points from possible 51.
Dat winless streak include 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon for dia final home match of 2025-26. E extend Rio Ave losing run in dis fixture to six matches, and dem don avoid defeat only once for last 12 meetings between di two sides.
For injuries, Sporting go still without Joao Simoes, wey dey recover from surgery for right foot. Nuno Santos dey nurse knee problem, and Fotis Ioannidis fit miss second consecutive game due to lower-back issue. So Luis Suarez fit get another chance to impress, as di Colombian striker bin make first start last weekend and score im first goal for season. He likely go lead di line again.
For Rio Ave, Brandon Aguilera dey out with ACL problem, Joao Tome get muscle issue, Ryan Guilherme dey nurse foot injury, and Cezary Miszta dey recover from back problem. So Ennio van der Gouw go continue for goal.
Rio Ave possible lineup dey include Van der Gouw for post, plus Liavas, Petrasso, Mancha, Abbey for defense. Nikitscher and Ntoi for midfield, with Galcik, Blesa, Bezerra behind Tamble for attack. Sporting possible lineup get Silva for goal, Fresneda, Debast, Ba, Araujo for defense, Altimira and Doumbia for middle, den Catamo, Zalazar, F Goncalves behind Suarez.
Rio Ave victory at Estoril go give dem some confidence, but dem dey struggle against bigger opponents. Dem don lose nine of dia 13 matches against di ‘big three’ at Estadio dos Arcos. Sporting fit take advantage of dat record, but di Lions defensive vulnerability still dey, so di hosts fit still pose threat going forward.
