Farense vs Boavista

A win for the home side in this pivotal relegation fight could pull them out of the automatic drop zone, while the visitors, now led by a new manager, aim to upset their hosts for the first time since 2002 and close the gap in the standings.

Coming off a vital 1-0 win against Estrela on Sunday, Farense are back in action, looking to string together consecutive victories for the first time in nearly a year.

The Lions of Faro previously crushed Estrela 3-0 and edged Estoril 3-2, snapping a long spell without back-to-back wins, and they’re eager to repeat that feat this weekend.

Sunday’s narrow victory was Farense’s first of 2025, halting a four-month winless run since their 2-1 triumph over Famalicao in December, which stretched across 13 games.

With back-to-back clean sheets — a 1-0 win at Estrela and a 0-0 draw against Casa Pia — a sturdy defense could be the key to surviving the relegation scrap.

Earning four points from their last two matches puts Toze Marreco’s squad just two points behind AVS, who occupy the relegation playoff position, and a victory could see them overtake the 16th-placed side if AVS stumble against mid-table Casa Pia.

However, achieving this requires Farense to secure their first home win since November, breaking an eight-game winless streak at Estadio de Sao Luis.

The Lions of Faro’s home struggles have largely been due to their inability to find the net, with no goals in six of those eight matches, a vulnerability Boavista will aim to capitalize on.

Seeking a late-season turnaround, Boavista named Stuart Baxter as their new manager on Sunday after Jorge Couto’s interim tenure, hoping the Scotsman can steer them to a strong finish.

While Boavista claimed a 2-0 win in their latest away outing against Rio Ave, they couldn’t sustain the momentum, falling 1-0 at home to Nacional, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the Primeira Liga with five games remaining.

That victory over Rio Ave snapped a six-game losing streak on the road and a seven-game winless run away from home, and Boavista now target back-to-back away wins for the first time since 2023, when they beat Portimonense (4-1) and Estoril (2-1).

After finishing 15th last term, the Panthers were expected to face another relegation battle, a forecast proven accurate by their current last-place standing.

Since rejoining the top flight in 2014, Boavista now face a real threat of relegation unless Baxter can deliver quick results in the season’s final stretch.

They trail Friday’s opponents by three points and are six points behind AVS in the relegation playoff spot, highlighting the steep challenge ahead for a team that hasn’t secured consecutive league wins since September 2023 — a streak that could prove vital for their survival.

Worsening their plight, Boavista are eight points from safety and have struggled against Farense, managing only a draw and four losses since 2020.

If the Panthers fail to claim their first victory over the Lions of Faro since 2002, a loss in Baxter’s first game in charge could push Boavista closer to a humiliating Primeira Liga exit.