When Moreirense hosts Porto at the Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas on Saturday in round 15 of the Primeira Liga, they will be hoping to win five straight games at home.
Despite the home teams' inconsistent play this season, the Dragoes are only two points behind league leaders Sporting Lisbon and will aim to take the lead going into the weekend.
Last Saturday's 1-0 loss to bottom-dwelling Nacional was fairly disheartening for Moreirense, who are still having trouble staying consistent in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
Jose Gomes scored 10 minutes after halftime to give Nacional their third league victory of the season, rewarding the home team for their excellent attacking performance in an exciting match at the Estadio da Madeira.
After winning back-to-back games against Farense and Arouca to start the season, Moreirense has struggled to mount a strong league run, winning four of their next 12 games and losing six of the next twelve.
With four victories and two draws from their six games this season, Os Verde e Brancos has the fifth-best record in the division and is one of just four teams that have not lost at home. It is noteworthy that all six of their losses this season have occurred away from home.
Moreirense, who finished sixth last season, is aiming to qualify for Europe this year. They are presently seven points outside of the Conference League qualifying spot in seventh place in the league standings with 20 points from 14 games.
At the Estadio do Dragao, however, Porto easily defeated 10-man Estrela Amadora 2-0 on Monday, continuing their ascent to the top of the league table.
In a match where Danilo Viega was sent off, Nico Gonzalez gave the home team the lead in the 12th minute with his fourth league goal of the season, and Goncalo Borges put the game out of reach with a goal in the 93rd.
Prior to that, Porto defeated Danish team FC Midtjylland 2-0 in the Europa League, where they have only amassed eight points from six games and are currently ranked 18th. Goals from Danny Namaso and Samu Aghehowa came in each half.
Guilherme Liberato, a Brazilian midfielder, is expected to be out for a long time after suffering a knee injury against Casa Pia on September 14 and is still unavailable for Moreirense.
In their November Taca de Portugal matchup, Os Verde e Brancos defeated Porto 2-1 thanks in part to a goal from Luis Asue. The 23-year-old striker, who has contributed five goals, will try to lead the team once more.
Wendell, a Brazilian full-back for Porto, has missed all 12 of the team's games after suffering a muscular injury against Sintrense on October 20. Bruno will not be able to name him.
Moreirense will be without Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Liberato, who is set for an extended recovery after sustaining a knee injury during the match against Casa Pia on September 14.
On a brighter note, Luis Asue played a crucial role in their 2-1 comeback victory over Porto in the Taca de Portugal last November. The 23-year-old striker, who has been directly involved in five goals this season, will be looking to step up and make an impact once again.
For Porto, Brazilian full-back Wendell will be missing from the squad, having sat out the last 12 matches due to a muscle issue sustained against Sintrense on October 20. He's joined by Marko Grujic, who is sidelined with a muscle problem of his own. Spanish defender Ivan Marcano continues to recover from a serious ACL injury.
After keeping six clean sheets in their last nine games, Porto's defense is likely to stay the same, with Martim Fernandes, Nehuen Perez, and Otavio forming the back three. In goal, expect 25-year-old Diogo Costa to continue his role between the posts.
