Gil Vicente will be looking to end an eight-game winless run in the Primeira Liga when they welcome Boavista to the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Friday.

While the hosts still have work to do to avoid the drop, the visitors are hoping to consolidate their place in the top half of the table.

Match preview

Gil Vicente suffered their fourth successive defeat and their seventh in the last eight matches when they came out on the wrong side of a 3-2 scoreline away against basement club Santa Clara last weekend.

After going three goals down inside the first 51 minutes, the Roosters fought back when Fran Navarro converted from the penalty spot just three minutes before Bilel Aouacheria fired a stunning strike from outside the area into the top corner – his first goal of the season.

However, Daniel Sousa's side were unable to net a late equaliser and they subsequently remain 14th in the Primeira Liga standings, eight points above Maritimo sitting in the relegation playoff position.

Gil Vicente have suffered a significant drop-off from last season's fifth-placed finish and their primary focus is to now maintain their top-flight status that can be guaranteed with a victory on Friday.

The Roosters have only lost one of their last five home meetings with Boavista and they secured a 3-0 victory in their most recent encounter against the Panthers at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos in August 2021.

After losing 1-0 at Porto at the end of April, a result that brought an end to a three-game unbeaten run, Boavista returned to winning ways when they secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Estoril last weekend.

Ricardo Mangas scored the only goal of the game five minutes after half time to help the Panthers secure their third successive home win and their 11th league victory overall this season.

Petit's side currently sit 10th in the Primeira Liga table and remain on course to match or better their highest top-flight finish of eighth place since securing promotion in 2008-09, as they sit just three points behind seventh-placed Chaves, who they face on the final day of the season.

While Boavista have had plenty of success on home soil this season, they have only accumulated 11 of their 40 points on the road, losing 10 of their 15 top-fight away games. Indeed, a 3-1 win at Pacos de Ferreira in February is their only away victory in their last 12 league matches on the road.

Boavista were able to win their last league meeting with Gil Vicente, though, securing a slender 1-0 home success in January courtesy of a first-half goal from Yusupha Njie.

Team News

Gil Vicente will be without forward Ali Alipour and goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk as they continue to recover from long-term muscle injuries.

Sousa may be tempted to make a few changes to his starting lineup, which could see Kanya Fujimoto start in the No.10 role ahead of Pedro Tiba and Aouacheria operate on the left wing at the expense of Manuel Boselli.

As for Boavista, Masaki Watai is suspended after being sent off for a late tackle in the dying embers of last weekend's win over Estoril, but Njie, Gaius Makouta and Salvador Agra are all available to return after serving suspensions of their own.

Njie, who has scored 12 goals so far this season, will likely come straight back in and replace Robert Bozenik up front, with support provided on the flanks by Mangas and Kenji Gorre.

Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Andrew; Carraca, Araujo, Fernandes, Marin; Carvalho, Aburjania; Souza, Fujimoto; Aouacheria; Navarro

Boavista possible starting lineup:
Bracali; Malheiro, Cannon, Abascal, Onyemaechi; Makouta, Perez; Mangas, Lourenco, Gorre; Njie

We say: Gil Vicente 0-1 Boavista

A closely-fought contest is set to be played out between the two teams on Friday, but Boavista will be regarded as the slight favourites despite their poor away record and they should have enough quality in the final third to edge past a struggling Gil Vicente side.

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