Rio Ave and Sporting Braga are both riding high in the Primeira Liga with their 6th and 3rd positions respectively. Expect a great game!
We should expect both teams to be fresh and ready for this match, as there is some time since both teams last played. Let's have a look at how the teams are doing!
Rio Ave form and stats
Rio Ave have played 14 Primeira Liga games at their own stadium so far this season, resulting in 4-5-5 (wins-draws-losses). Two defeats in a row at home hurts for Rio, their manager C. Soares da Costa Faria Carvalhal and the supporters. There are certain expectations for improvement.
It's back home for Rio, who return with a good feeling about themselves after beating Vitória FC away with the result 2-1. Gelson Dala and Mehdi Taremi found the net in that victory. Before that game, the home loss against Benfica with the scoreline 1-2.
World class coaching! That was the thoughts of C. Soares da Costa Faria Carvalhal when Gelson Dala scored the winning goal after coming on as a substitute in the 59th minute.
Rio are certainly not overdoing their scoring at home in league matches, having created 19 goals in 14 games. Rio's goalkeeper has had to pick the ball out of their own net 17 times. For more goal stats, check the Statistics tab above.
Sporting Braga form and stats
Playing away, Sporting Braga have won 7 games, drawn 2 and suffered 5 defeats in the Primeira Liga this season.
Impressive finishing from Wenderson Galeno, Francisco Trincão and Paulinho secured the home win 3-2 against Vitória SC in their previous game. Before that, Braga travelled to Famalicão and returned home with a draw after the game finished 0-0.
After this away game Braga return home for a Primeira Liga game against Desportivo Aves. That game is only four sleeps after this.
Braga are not goal shy away from home in the league, finding the net 21 times in 14 away games so far. As opposed to that, Braga have seen the ball go into their own net 14 times on the road.
Head 2 Head
The teams have played each other before this season, with the result Sporting Braga - Rio 2-0 entered in the official records. Head-2-head stats last ten meetings: four - three - three (Rio wins - draws - Sporting Braga wins). As for goals, three matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), seven had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  M. Taremi 11 goals |   J. Dias Fernandes 10 goals | F. Machado Mota de Castro Trincão 8 goals |
Rio Ave missing players
Sporting Braga missing players
| Rio Ave | Sporting Braga | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 28 | 14 | 4 | Played | P | 4 | 14 | 28 |
| 12 | 4 | 0 | Won | W | 2 | 7 | 15 |
| 8 | 5 | 2 | Drew | D | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 8 | 5 | 2 | Lost | L | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| 38 | 19 | 4 | Scored | S | 4 | 21 | 46 |
| 29 | 17 | 6 | Conceded | C | 3 | 14 | 32 |
| 93% | 93% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 75% | 93% | 96% |
| 68% | 64% | 75% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 50% | 64% | 71% |
| 36% | 36% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 50% | 43% | 54% |
| 21% | 29% | 25% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 14% | 36% |
| 14% | 21% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 14% | 11% |
| 50% | 57% | 75% | BTTS | BTTS | 50% | 50% | 54% |
| 32% | 29% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 50% | 29% | 25% |
| 25% | 21% | 25% | Failed to Score | F T | 25% | 29% | 25% |
| 4.9 | 6.4 | 4.2 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.2 |
| 5.1 | 4.3 | 5.8 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
| 2.1 | 2.1 | 3.2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 4.5 | 3.3 | 2.8 |
| 7 | 6 | 3 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 308 | 172 | 35 | Total Shots | T S | 54 | 205 | 452 |
| 94 | 55 | 11 | Shots on Target | S O | 18 | 70 | 157 |
| 40% | 35% | 36% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 22% | 30% | 29% |
- Rio Ave has the most matches under the total-line (18)
- Rio Ave have won significantly more corners at home than away.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Porto | 28 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 56 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 6 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 12 | 38 | 67 |
| 2 | Benfica | 28 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 59 | 21 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 31 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 28 | 10 | 38 | 64 |
| 3 | Sporting CP | 28 | 16 | 4 | 8 | 45 | 29 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 52 |
| 4 | Sporting Braga | 28 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 46 | 32 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 18 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 50 |
| 5 | Famalicão | 28 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 44 | 43 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 25 | 22 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 21 | 1 | 45 |
| 6 | Rio Ave | 28 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 38 | 29 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 9 | 44 |
| 7 | Vitória SC | 28 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 46 | 32 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 13 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 40 |
| 8 | Santa Clara | 28 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 29 | 34 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 16 | -5 | 38 |
| 9 | Moreirense | 28 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 37 | 35 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 18 | 2 | 35 |
| 10 | Boavista | 28 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 29 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 14 | -6 | 35 |
| 11 | Gil Vicente | 28 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 30 | 35 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 19 | -5 | 33 |
| 12 | Paços de Ferreira | 28 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 26 | 39 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 24 | -13 | 31 |
| 13 | Vitória FC | 28 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 35 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 20 | -13 | 30 |
| 14 | Belenenses | 28 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 24 | 44 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 23 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 21 | -20 | 30 |
| 15 | Tondela | 28 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 23 | 35 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 17 | -12 | 29 |
| 16 | Marítimo | 28 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 27 | 38 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 20 | -11 | 28 |
| 17 | Portimonense | 28 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 23 | 39 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 23 | -16 | 24 |
| 18 | Desportivo Aves | 28 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 23 | 54 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 33 | -31 | 14 |