Moreirense host Arouca in their first fixture at Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas on Sunday, keen to notch consecutive Primeira Liga victories to begin the new campaign.
Os verdes e brancos notched a creditable 2-1 win at Farense despite complicated circumstances, while 10-man Arouca lost 1-0 to Vitoria last weekend.
Match preview
Last week's victory over Farense will have pleased the travelling support, who saw their team pick maximum points on the road despite going down to 10 men.
Maracas had put Cesar Peixoto's men ahead in the seventh minute, only for Sidnei Tavares's 64th-minute dismissal to leave Moreirense in the lurch for the final half-hour.
A collapse seemed imminent when Alex Bermejo levelled for Farense two minutes after the sending-off, but Luis Asue had the final laugh, notching the match-winner with 11 minutes of the 90 to play.
Peixoto's troops held on for the remainder of normal time and withstood the pressure of seven minutes of second-half stoppage time to avoid conceding another equaliser.
Having battled through the challenging situation on their travels in gameweek one, the home support hope for a more straightforward affair on Sunday.
The visitors to Minho also had a player dismissed in the previous gameweek, even if Matias Rocha was sent off long after Gonzalo Garcia's team fell behind in the 14th minute of proceedings.
An already uphill task to equalise was extra difficult after the centre-back received a second yellow in minute 81, meaning Arouca could not sustain pressure in the closing stages as they sought a late leveller.
Lobos head into gameweek two keen to return to winning ways and pick up maximum points for the first time this season, even if the precedent points to success for the home side.
Arouca lost both meetings last season 1-0 and have not beaten their opponents in the top flight since December 2016, which is a portend ahead of Sunday's fixture in Minho.
Lobos did notch a 2-1 win at Moreirense in the domestic cup in December 2022, and they hope for a repeat showing to end their league hoodoo in Minho.
Team News
Hernani Infande is not expected back in the Moreirense squad until October due to a foot injury.
Tavares' dismissal last weekend rules out the midfield man for one match, possibly meaning a start for Guilherme Liberato in the middle of the park.
After last week's sending-off, Rocha is absent for the away side, and Nino Galovic could step in for the suspended centre-back.
Yusuf Lawal is Arouca's only reported injury absentee heading into gameweek two.
Moreirense possible starting lineup:
Kewin; Fabiano, Maracas, Marcelo, Frimpong; Alan, Liberato, Ismael; Antonisse, Asue, Madson
Arouca possible starting lineup:
Manti; Esgaio, Galovic, Fontan, Weverson; Fukul, Simao; Jason, Santos, Sylla; Trezzae
We say: Moreirense 2-1 Arouca
Despite claiming 1-0 victories last season, the low-scoring encounters were anomalies in this fixture that had seen both sides score in the previous six. Moreirense and Arouca should return to the past pattern on Sunday, and we are backing the hosts to notch consecutive wins to take advantage of playing in front of their supporters.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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