On Friday night, two clubs stuck in the limbo of midtable in the Portuguese Primeira Liga meet, as Vitoria Setubal host Gil Vicente.
There are just three points separating ninth-place Vitoria Setubal from the 13th place visitors. Looking at the table neither team looks likely to be involved in the fight for the European spots or relegation dogfight.
Currently, Setubal are eight points outside the European qualification berths in the Portuguese top-flight. Even with so many league games left to play, it seems that finishing fourth place is beyond the home team.
An inconsistent recent run of form in the league has not helped the home team’s chances of making a run at those all-important European spots. In fact, Setubal have now won just two of their last seven matches in the Portuguese top-flight.
The home side has the fifth-best defensive record in the Primeira Liga. However, they have struggled to find the net at the other end of the pitch, as only Pacos de Ferreira have scored fewer goals than Setubal in the top-flight.
Gil Vicente are in a similar boat to Vitoria Setubal when it comes to likely achievements this season. The visitors are seven points clear of the relegation battle, despite only being three points behind the home side in a congested mid-section of the Primeira Liga table.
A 2-2 draw at Sporting Braga last time out in the league means that Gil Vicente have now failed to win in four Primeira Liga matches.
Like Setubal, the visitors have struggled for goals this season, scoring just 21 times in their 20 league matches this season.
Vitor Oliveira’s team has also been poor on their travels this season, winning just one of their last 12 away matches in the Primeira Liga.
With little between the two teams in the table, it is no surprise that Forebet predicts that this game will finish in a low scoring draw.