Chaves vs Maritimo Predictions

Chaves sit six positions and five points behind their guests on Saturday,Maritimo, but recent form suggests that we’re going to be in for a close, entertaining, and difficult to predict match between the pair. The visitors’ run of three straight wins came to an end at home to Rio Ave on Monday, and with Chaves only losing one of their last six in all competitions, Maritimo might not find it easy to return to winning ways this weekend.

On Tuesday evening Chaves picked up a crucial three points away at European hopefuls Portimonense to lift themselves off the foot of the table. Costinha was setup by Rúben Macedo in the thirty-eighth minute to score what turned out to be the winning goal against the run of play. This heated match featured ten bookings, most of which went to the Chaves players, and thirty-one fouls. Despite having 59% of the overall possession, more corners, and more shots than their guests, Portimonense could not carve out an equalising goal and lost ground in the race to claim fifth place.

Maritimo and Rio Ave produced a fairly even ninety minutes at the Estádio dos Barreiros, with the pair going in at the break goalless. Early in the second half Diego Lopes put Rio Ave in front, but Maritimo very much remained in the game. The hosts kept pushing forward in search of an equaliser, but in the first minute of stoppage time their were undone for a second time by their guests and it lead to a João Schmidt penalty and the game ending 2-0. That one point gap between these two mid table rivals has now been stretched to four and Maritimo could really do with a response on Saturday against their relegation battling hosts.

We’re expecting goals in this game for both teams, but fancy the hosts Chaves to come out on top. Chaves have won two of the last three meetings between the pair, and five of their last six encounters have seen both teams score and over 2.5 goals. Maritimo have scored in both of their last two away games, while three of Chaves’ last six matches have produced over 2.5 goals and witnessed both teams score. Chaves have the form in their favour with three wins, two draws, and just a single defeat from their last six matches, and of course they are battling to get out of the relegation zone which is more than enough motivation to win on Saturday.

Both teams top scorers in the Primeira Liga have just three goals to their name, Ghazaryan for the hosts and Rodrigo Pinho for the visitors. Neither of these sides have a lot of goals in them, so we’re only expecting the three to be scored on Saturday. We’re confident that both teams will scored and that their will be over 2.5 goals between the pair, and that the final scoreline will read 2-1 to Chaves. Along with the home advantage Chaves also have form in their favour, as well as the motivation of potentially being relegated. The hosts have won two of their last three against Maritimo and the visitors suffered defeat at home last time out.