Belenenses vs Chaves Predictions

Victory for Belenenses last weekend saw Silas’ men move up one place in the Primeira Liga to ninth, and another three points on Saturday could see them leap into the top five if results elsewhere go in their favour. Struggling Chaves provide the opposition at the Estádio Nacional on Saturday, where just a few weeks ago they beat Belenenses in the Taça da Liga. The visitors sit bottom of the Primeira Liga table and head into this weekends round of fixtures as the side with the worst form in the division, all of which makes Belenenses the clear favourites to win the game.

Beleneses went behind against Santa Clara to a sixth minute penalty from Osama Rashid, but responded quickly and were back on level terms in the twelfth minute, thanks to Sasso. The two sides went in level at the break in what was a very even first forty-five minutes at the Estádio de São Miguel. A fifty-seventh minute penalty from Fredy saw Belenenses take the lead for the first time in the match, and the very same player made it 3-1 with thirteen minutes left on the clock.

An own goal from André Santos in the eightieth minute brought Santa Clara right back into the match, but just two minutes later the hosts were reduced to ten-men when full back Fábio Cardoso picked up his second yellow card. Belenenses held on to secure all three points against Santa Clara and in so doing leapfrogged their hosts in the Primeira Liga table.

Those two goals for Angola’s Fredy moved the striker ahead of Keita in the goal scoring chart for Belenenses and onto four Primeira Liga goals for the season. Ghazaryan is the visitors danger man with three league goals to his name, but Brazilian Marcão Teixeira is just one behind his teammate having converted two penalties in the league for Chaves.

Chaves suffered their fifth straight defeat in the Primeira Liga last weekend, despite arguably being the better side. A thirty-sixth minute strike from Brazilian Davidson proved enough for high flying Vitória Guimarães to claim all three points away against Chaves, a result that the home side will be very disappointed with. Chaves may have only had 49% of the overall possession, but the hosts created more goal scoring opportunities than their guests and, with nine shots on target, really should have at least earned a share of the spoils.

When Belenenses and Chaves locked horns in the Taça da Liga last month they produced a very competitive and entertaining match, despite only one goal being scored. The pair went in level at the break, but Belenenses had more of the possession and looked the more likely to score the opening goal. However, just four minutes into the second half Chaves winger Niltinho scored to put the underdogs 1-0 up.

Belenenses will be disappointed to have lost this cup tie after having 56% of the overall possession, seven corners to the visitors four, and just as many shots on target as Chaves, but after the first half this game always looked like being settled by the first goal and in that scenario the game could easily have gone either way.

We’re confident that under 2.5 goals will be scored in Saturday’s game, and have backed the match to end in a 0-0 draw. Four of the last six matches between the two clubs have produced under 2.5 goals. Five of Belenenses’ and three of Chaves’ last six matches have produced under 2.5 goals. Chaves’ 1-0 win in the Taça da Liga at the home of Belenenses is bound to give the visitors confidence of ending their losing streak in the league this weekend.