The home fans are expecting three points in this fixture, as the home advantage should be put to good use versus a struggling visitor. Santa Clara are in the 9th position while the guesting Rio Ave worry at 15th.
- Santa Clara have the fewest dropped points from leading position (2) in Primeira Liga
- Rio Ave have the fewest matches over the total-line (8) in Primeira Liga
These are busy days for the home team, as they were in action only four days ago in the Primeira Liga. At least it's nice to return home after that away game at Famalicao.
Relegation threatens Santa who should definitely be looking for some points here. Rio are fighting to avoid relegation and will work hard for points.
Santa Clara form and stats
Overall Primeira Liga stats at home this season for Santa Clara are 5-5-5 (wins-draw-losses). Their last two home games have resulted in two points, meaning they were both draws.
Santa Clara faced defeat in their previous match, away at Famalicao (0-1). Preceding that game was the home draw versus Boavista that ended 3-3.
The bookmakers consider this a fairly even contest. One could say only the home advantage separates the teams. It could be relevant to look at how Santa have performed in matches similar to this (as small favourites). Our database has found 14 matches with the results: Won five, drawn five and lost four.
Santa are certainly not overdoing their scoring at home in league matches, having created 21 goals in 15 games. 16 goals have been conceded.
Rio Ave form and stats
The hunting on away grounds haven’t been very fruitful for Rio Ave so far with only 13 points returning home. The records show 2-7-6 (win-draw-lose).
Rio have been frustrated by their lack of goals lately, as they haven't scored in the league since they found the net 221 minutes ago. Fábio Coentrão was the goal scorer.
Rio Ave might have something to prove in this game as they lost at home in their previous match. Sporting CP proved too strong as Rio Ave slumped to a 0-2 defeat in front of their own fans at Estádio do Rio Futebol Clube. Ahead of that match was the away draw versus Portimonense that ended 0-0.
As mentioned above, this is an open game with no clear favourite. We have found eight similar matches played by Rio in our archives, and the results are: three wins for Rio Ave, four draws and one defeat.
A quick return to home after this game, as Rio Ave are hosting Porto in the Primeira Liga only four days away.
Many goals are not expected from the visiting Rio as they have only managed to score 11 times from 15 away games in the league. 20 goals have been conceded by Rio Ave in these games.
Head 2 Head
These teams' last encounter with each other was the Rio Ave - Santa Clara 1-2 earlier this season. Head-2-head stats last ten meetings: three - three - four (Santa Clara wins - draws - Rio Ave wins). As for goals, four matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), six had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  C. Carvalho da Silva Junior 11 goals |   C. Cardoso Mané 5 goals |  R. Silva Costa 4 goals |
Santa Clara missing players
Rio Ave missing players
| Santa Clara | Rio Ave | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 31 | 15 | 4 | Played | P | 5 | 15 | 31 |
| 10 | 5 | 2 | Won | W | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 7 | 5 | 1 | Drew | D | 4 | 7 | 13 |
| 14 | 5 | 1 | Lost | L | 1 | 6 | 12 |
| 37 | 21 | 11 | Scored | S | 2 | 11 | 23 |
| 36 | 16 | 6 | Conceded | C | 4 | 20 | 35 |
| 94% | 87% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 60% | 87% | 77% |
| 71% | 73% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 60% | 73% | 68% |
| 45% | 40% | 75% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 20% | 26% |
| 13% | 20% | 50% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 13% | 10% |
| 6% | 13% | 50% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 7% | 3% |
| 52% | 40% | 75% | BTTS | BTTS | 40% | 40% | 32% |
| 23% | 40% | 25% | Clean Sheets | C S | 40% | 20% | 35% |
| 32% | 33% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 60% | 53% | 55% |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2.9 | 2.8 | 3 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2 |
| 4 | 2 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 10.9 | 11.4 | 11.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 11.2 | 9.9 | 9.7 |
| 3.6 | 3.7 | 5 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 2.8 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| 33% | 38% | 55% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 14% | 30% | 24% |
- Rio Ave have the fewest matches over the total-line (8) in Primeira Liga
- Santa Clara have the fewest dropped points from leading position (2) in Primeira Liga
- Santa Clara have the fewest matches under the total-line (13) in Primeira Liga
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Sporting CP | 31 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 56 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 9 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 6 | 41 | 79 |
| 2 | Porto | 31 | 21 | 8 | 2 | 62 | 28 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 31 | 14 | 34 | 71 |
| 3 | Benfica | 31 | 20 | 7 | 4 | 59 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 32 | 10 | 37 | 67 |
| 4 | Sporting Braga | 31 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 50 | 31 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 17 | 19 | 59 |
| 5 | Pacos de Ferreira | 31 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 36 | 36 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 0 | 49 |
| 6 | Vitoria Guimaraes | 31 | 12 | 6 | 13 | 35 | 39 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 22 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 17 | -4 | 42 |
| 7 | Belenenses | 31 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 22 | 28 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 12 | -6 | 37 |
| 8 | Moreirense | 31 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 31 | 40 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 21 | 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 17 | -9 | 37 |
| 9 | Santa Clara | 31 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 37 | 36 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 16 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 20 | 1 | 37 |
| 10 | Tondela | 31 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 33 | 50 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 18 | 35 | -17 | 36 |
| 11 | Gil Vicente | 31 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 29 | 39 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 18 | 22 | -10 | 35 |
| 12 | Portimonense | 31 | 9 | 7 | 15 | 33 | 38 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 23 | -5 | 34 |
| 13 | Famalicao | 31 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 35 | 44 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 20 | -9 | 34 |
| 14 | Maritimo | 31 | 10 | 3 | 18 | 25 | 41 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 20 | -16 | 33 |
| 15 | Rio Ave | 31 | 6 | 13 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 20 | -12 | 31 |
| 16 | Boavista | 31 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 36 | 47 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 20 | 25 | -11 | 30 |
| 17 | Farense | 31 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 29 | 39 | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 18 | 20 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 19 | -10 | 28 |
| 18 | Nacional | 31 | 6 | 7 | 18 | 28 | 51 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 26 | -23 | 25 |