Chaves travel to the Algarve to face newly-promoted side SC Farense on Saturday in the Primeira Liga.

Both clubs remain without a point after their first two games, despite close shaves last week with clubs who finished in the top three last season.

Match preview

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In just their second season at this level since 2002, Farense have not made the most encouraging start.

After an instant relegation following promotion in 2020, they are one of the favourites to go down again.

Claiming promotion with eight wins from their final eight matches now seems a distant memory after the baptism of fire which has welcomed them back into the top flight.

A surprising 3-0 thrashing on the opening day at home to Casa Pia is not how manager Jose Mota envisaged his side starting the campaign.

However, a spirited but albeit heartbreaking trip to Porto saw them leave with nothing again, after Ivan Marcano's 100th-minute winner.

Chaves join Farense in the relegation zone at this early stage but are above their upcoming opponents on goals scored.

Ill discipline has been very costly in both of Chaves' games so far, as Bruno Langa's two rapid fire yellow cards after 14 minutes contributed to an opening day 2-0 defeat at Rio Ave.

While putting up a fine display at home to Braga last weekend, another red card saw all that hard work undone again.

Chaves led 2-1, were pegged back to 2-2, but a Ygor Nogueira dismissal saw them then go on to lose 4-2 late on.

They are no strangers to red cards though, as they also had three men sent off in their final game last season, meaning they have had five players sent off in their last three league games.

Playing none of the big four in the next seven matches gives Chaves an opportunity to pick up some much-needed points to drag themselves away from early trouble.

Team News

Mota will have a full Farense side to choose from, with no known injury concerns ahead of the clash.

Last season's top scorer Rui Costa scored at Porto last week and is showing fine early-season form, as that was his third of the campaign already.

New signing Igor Rossi could feature after signing from UAE-club Ittihad Kalba, returning to Portugal eight years after he left.

While Chaves will be able to welcome back Langa from suspension, Nogueira will serve a ban of his own following his red card against Braga.

Leandro Sanca made his debut off the bench last week after his arrival from Spezia and could be involved again here.

Sanca scored two goals in 14 games on loan at Famalicao in the second half of last season.

SC Farense possible starting lineup:
Ricardo Velho; Pastor, Muscat, Goncalo Silva, Joao Talocha; Mattheus, Isidoro, Claudio Falcao; Belloumi, Rui Costa, Marco Matias

Chaves possible starting lineup:
Hugo Souza; Joao Correia, Bruno Rodrigues, Bruno Langa, Sandro Cruz; Benny, Paulo Victor, Nwakali, Pedro Pinho; Abass, Hernandez

We say: SC Farense 0-0 Chaves

Both sides looked comfortable soaking up pressure against stronger opposition last week, despite both falling to defeat.

However, when the impetus is on them, the goal threat of both sides is still questionable, so this could be a cagey encounter.


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