Rio Ave vs Porto Prediction: Visitors to maintain winning streak

Porto will look to continue their remarkable start to the season on Friday night (20:15 BST) when they travel to the Estadio dos Arcos to face struggling Rio Ave. The Portuguese giants have won all five of their league fixtures this term, conceding just one goal, and head coach Francesco Farioli will be eager for his side to keep up that dominant form.

Below are my Rio Ave vs Porto predictions, along with essential team news and match odds for this Liga Portugal clash in Vila do Conde.

Team News

Rio Ave coach Sotiris Sylaidopoulos may shuffle his pack, particularly on the right flank, after Joao Tome was effective off the bench against Moreirense, which could see Marios Vrousai drop out of the starting XI.

Goalkeeper Alfonso Pastor remains sidelined with a finger injury, so Cezary Miszta should continue between the posts. Midfielder Theofanis Bakoulas is still recovering from a cruciate ligament tear and will not feature.

Football Odds

Porto’s win over Nacional came at a cost when Nehuen Perez limped off just minutes after coming on, and he is expected to be out for some time.

Samu Aghehowa is set to lead the line again, with Luuk de Jong still unavailable and winger William Gomes also sidelined.

Today's Football Fixtures

Rio Ave vs Porto Odds

Porto are 4/11 to claim three points and make it six straight wins, while Rio Ave are 13/2 to spring an upset.

A draw in northern Portugal is priced at 7/2, and Porto to be leading at half-time and full-time is 21/20.

Both teams to score is 10/11, while either side keeping a clean sheet is 4/5.

Porto to win to nil @ 23/20

Porto kept seven clean sheets in 17 away league matches last season and have maintained that defensive solidity, conceding just once so far, to champions Sporting Lisbon, who they still beat 2-1.

The defence has been bolstered by summer signing Jakub Kiwior, who made his first start on Saturday after joining from Arsenal.

Porto are unbeaten in the last five meetings with Rio Ave and are chasing a ninth successive league win.

The stats and early-season form suggest the visitors can win without conceding.

Borja Sainz (FCP) to score first @ 5/1

Spanish winger Borja Sainz joined Porto from Norwich City in the summer for £14.25m after a superb Championship campaign, in which he scored a career-best 19 goals.

Sainz registered an assist on his Dragons debut and opened his account with a brace two games later.

With Rio Ave winless, sitting 15th, and having shipped nine goals in their first four matches, Sainz looks well placed to strike the opening blow.

Offers

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 100% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down