Santa Clara hope to sell some tickets for this game even though the season has been rough so far with 17 points and a 13th position in the Primeira Liga table. Visiting Rio Ave holds 9th place with 19 pts.
This should be an interesting game with lots of spark and energy as both teams are well rested since they last saw competitive action. Game on!
Santa Clara form and stats
The home fans haven’t been spoiled with victories in the Primeira Liga this season. Santa Clara have only managed 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses from their games here at Estadio de Sao Miguel. With Santa Clara having lost three times in a row here, the pressure is increasing on the manager João Henriques.
Santa Clara are returning here after visiting Desportivo Aves in a Primeira Liga game and winning with a 1-0 scoreline. Preceding that match was the home League Cup game against Casa Pia that was lost 1-2.
Santa Clara aren't scoring a lot here at Estadio de Sao Miguel in the league, with only 6 goals from 8 games. 11 goals have been conceded.
Rio Ave form and stats
The visitors are W2-D2-L3 on the road this term. That's in the Primeira Liga.
This game can not go any worse than the last one, a Primeira Liga home defeat versus Marítimo with 0-1 on the scoreboard. The game before that, in the League Cup, was lost at home, a 0-1 defeat against Gil Vicente.
The schedule is very tough for Rio Ave now as they have to travel again shortly after this match. A Taça De Portugal game at Benfica is waiting in only four days.
Many goals are not expected from the visiting Rio Ave as they have only managed to score 6 times from 7 away games in the league. As opposed to that, Rio Ave have seen the ball go into their own net 8 times on the road.
Head 2 Head
Head-to-head totals (for the last nine meetings): Santa Clara won 2 games, 3 matches ended with a draw and Rio Ave has 4 wins. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: 3 / 6Top Goalscorers
  M. Taremi 5 goals |  Bruno Moreira 3 goals |  Filipe Augusto 3 goals |
Santa Clara missing players
Rio Ave missing players
| Santa Clara | Rio Ave | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 15 | 8 | 3 | Played | P | 3 | 7 | 15 |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | Won | W | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | Drew | D | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 6 | 4 | 1 | Lost | L | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 11 | 6 | 3 | Scored | S | 3 | 6 | 17 |
| 18 | 11 | 3 | Conceded | C | 1 | 8 | 17 |
| 87% | 88% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 67% | 86% | 93% |
| 67% | 75% | 67% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 67% | 71% | 60% |
| 27% | 38% | 33% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 14% | 20% |
| 13% | 12% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 14% | 20% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 14% | 20% |
| 33% | 38% | 67% | BTTS | BTTS | 33% | 29% | 40% |
| 40% | 38% | 33% | Clean Sheets | C S | 67% | 29% | 27% |
| 40% | 38% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 33% | 57% | 40% |
| 6.5 | 7 | 7.7 | Corners For (avg) | C F | 2 | 2.1 | 4.3 |
| 5.8 | 4.8 | 5 | Corners Against (avg) | C A | 3.7 | 4.9 | 4.3 |
| 2.3 | 2.2 | 3 | Yellow Cards (avg) | Y C | 1.3 | 2.3 | 1.9 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Red Cards | R C | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 184 | 127 | 44 | Total Shots | T S | 30 | 60 | 160 |
| 48 | 30 | 11 | Shots on Target | S O | 5 | 11 | 43 |
| 23% | 20% | 27% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 60% | 55% | 40% |
- Rio Ave has the most matches under the total-line (12)
- Rio Ave have conceded at least twice as many corners as they have won away.
- Rio Ave have won significantly less corners away then at home.
- Santa Clara have played more matches over 2,5 goals 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 | Benfica | 15 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 33 | 42 |
| 2 | Porto | 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 38 |
| 3 | Famalicão | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 29 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 27 |
| 4 | Sporting CP | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 17 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 26 |
| 5 | Sporting Braga | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 23 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 21 |
| 6 | Vitória SC | 15 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 21 |
| 7 | Tondela | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 10 | -3 | 19 |
| 8 | Vitória FC | 15 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 12 | -5 | 19 |
| 9 | Rio Ave | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 19 |
| 10 | Boavista | 15 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | -1 | 19 |
| 11 | Gil Vicente | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 11 | -2 | 18 |
| 12 | Marítimo | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | -7 | 18 |
| 13 | Santa Clara | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -7 | 17 |
| 14 | Moreirense | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 20 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 13 | -2 | 17 |
| 15 | Belenenses | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | -16 | 15 |
| 16 | Paços de Ferreira | 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 14 | -11 | 14 |
| 17 | Portimonense | 15 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 11 | -9 | 13 |
| 18 | Desportivo Aves | 15 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 31 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 22 | -16 | 6 |