In Portuguese football, there is the ‘big four,’ Benfica, Porto, Sporting, and Braga, who almost always secure the top four positions among themselves. Other clubs compete for the remaining spots, especially the fifth place that leads to Europe, which different teams often vie for. In recent years, we’ve seen clubs like Santa Clara, Pacos Ferreira, and Arouca on the international scene.Is it now time for Moreirense?This question is increasingly being asked in the western Iberian Peninsula country. The team from Moreire de Conegos ended 2023 with ten consecutive league matches undefeated (six wins and four draws).Granted, they had a somewhat lighter schedule and only faced the top teams like Benfica (0-0) at home, but they managed to rise to the sixth position. Realistically, for Rui Jorge’s men, that might be enough for a European ticket, assuming there are no surprises in the Portuguese cups. However, the fifth and especially the fourth position provide better chances of playing in Europe.##NAJAVA_MECA_7781585##Following Braga and Vitoria Guimaraes’ draw (1-1) on Saturday, as if given a signal, Moreirense has the opportunity to get closer to these teams. To achieve that, they need to defeat Casa Pia, which would bring them within just one point of Vitoria and -4 compared to Braga.Casa Pia performs well away from home, having secured 11 out of 16 points. However, they are a team fighting to avoid relegation, currently 12th on the table with just one point more than strugglers Portimonense, so Moreirense rightfully carries the role of favorites.However, don’t expect a spectacular match. In the last seven Moreirense games, six have seen Under 2.5 goals. There were two goalless draws (against Benfica and Vizela), two 1-0 wins (against Vitoria and Estoril), and a 1-1 draw against Gil Vicente. The only match that broke this pattern was the chaotic game against Portimonense in mid-December, ending 5-2. Three of Moreirense’s goals came in the last 10 minutes of that match.Casa Pia and Moreirense have never met competitively so far this century. They faced each other only during preseason for this season, in mid-July, when Casa Pia won a preparatory match 1-0.
