Rio Ave vs FC Porto Match Analysis and Prediction

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Newly-promoted Rio Ave will be looking to pick up their first win of the new Primeira Liga campaign when they play host to FC Porto at the Estadio dos Arcos on Sunday.

On the other hand, the visitors head into the weekend on a fine run of 11 consecutive victories across all competitions and will look to continue on the same vein.

Rio Ave failed to pick up their first win since their return to the top flight as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Estoril Praia when the sides met at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota last Friday.

Prior to that, the Vilacondenses kicked off the 2022-23 campaign with two consecutive defeats, losing 1-0 to Vizela in their curtain-raiser on August 6 before they fell to a 3-0 defeat against Sporting Lisbon a week later.

Luis Freire’s side finished first in the Segunda Liga last season, but are now winless in five of their last six games across all competitions, with July’s 1-0 friendly win over Academico Viseu being the exception.

Meanwhile, FC Porto could not have hoped for a better start to their Primeira Liga title defence as they head into the weekend as the only side to win their opening three matches of the new season.

Having began their domestic campaign with a 3-0 victory over Tondela in the Portuguese Super Cup final, Porto defeated Maritimo and Vizela in their first two league matches, scoring six goals and conceding once over both games.

Sergio Conceicao’s side made it three wins from three last Saturday through a 3-0 victory over rivals Sporting Lisbon, with Evanilson, Matheus Uribe and Wanderson Galeno all getting on the scoresheet.

Porto have been drawn into Group B of this season’s Champions League alongside Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Club Brugge.

Rio Ave vs FC Porto head to head

The two teams have previously met on 48 occasions across all competitions, where Rio Ave have claimed one victory while Porto have won 35, and they have drawn in 12. Porto have scored 106 goals and conceded 30. In their last five meetings, Porto have won four while they have drawn once.

Rio Ave 0-1 Porto 29/09/19

Porto 1-1 Rio Ave 07/03/20

Porto 2-0 Rio Ave 01/02/21

Rio Ave 0-3 Porto 15/05/21

Porto 1-0 Rio Ave 16/12/21

Rio Ave latest home form

Rio Ave have recently failed to keep a good run of form at home, as they have won just two of their five most recent matches. They lost 1-0 to Vizela in their last home game in league. In their last five most recent matches, they have scored four goals and conceded three.

Rio Ave 3-0 Chaves 15/05/22

Rio Ave 0-0 Pacos Ferreira 16/07/22

Rio Ave 0-2 Santa Clara 23/07/22

Rio Ave 1-0 Academico Viseu 30/07/22

Rio Ave 0-1 Vizela 06/08/22

Rio Ave latest away form

Rio Ave have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having won just one of their five most recent matches. They drew 2-2 with Estoril in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored four goals and conceded eight.

Nacional 2-0 Rio Ave 10/04/22

Mafra 1-1 Rio Ave 24/04/22

Sporting Covilha 0-1 Rio Ave 07/05/22

Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Rio Ave 13/08/22

Estoril 2-2 Rio Ave 19/08/22

FC Porto latest home form

FC Porto have recently been on a good run of form at home, having won each of their 13 most recent matches. They managed to defeat Sporting Lisbon 3-0 in their last home game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 15 goals and conceded three.

Porto 2-1 Vitoria Guimaraes 16/07/22

Porto 2-1 Monaco 23/07/22

Porto 3-0 Tondela 30/07/22

Porto 5-1 Maritimo 06/08/22

Porto 3-0 Sporting Lisbon 20/08/22

FC Porto latest away form

FC Porto have recently been on a relatively good run of form on the road, having lost just one of their six most recent matches. They defeated Vizela 1-0 in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored four goals and conceded just one.

Vitoria Guimaraes 0-1 Porto 10/04/22

Sporting Braga 1-0 Porto 25/04/22

Benfica 0-1 Porto 07/05/22

Portimonense 0-1 Porto 14/07/22

Vizela 0-1 Porto 14/08/22

Rio Ave news

Joao Ferreira will be absent for the hosts after the Benfica loanee picked up a straight red late in the game against Estoril Praia last weekend.

On the injury front, Freire will be unable to call upon the services of Brazilian defender Junio Rocha, who has been sidelines through a broken leg.

Porto news

Porto defender Wilson Manafa continues his spell on the sidelines after coming off with a severe injury back in December, while midfielder Marko Grujic is a doubt through injury.

Evanilson and Mehdi Taremi have contributed in six of Porto’s nine goals this season and should spearhead the attack once again.

Prediction and Odds

Porto have hit the ground running this season, having won each of their opening three games, a run which is most likely to continue here.

Sunday’s fixture sees the Dragoes take on a struggling Rio Ave side and we back the visitors to extend their dominance over the Vilacondenses on Sunday.

Odds: 1 2.42 X 2.10 2 1.72