The match will take place at the Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa, in Leiria, at 2pm on 5 November.
Uniao de Leiria will host Maritimo on Sunday, at 2pm, as part of the ninth round of the Second Division. The team coached by Vasco Botelho da Costa arrives excited about this confrontation between the legends of Portuguese football after two victories, both achieved away from home: against Académico de Viseu, 3-1 in the Portuguese Cup, and against Oliverense, 4-1, for the championship. By going through the best stage of the season – only one defeat in the last six matches, against Mafra (0-3) – the Leirense team will try to add two consecutive victories in the competition, for the first time this season.
The Leirienses must play with the usual 3-4-3 tactical system, and in the last match the eleven players were selected as follows: Kiszek, Marco Paixenho, Bora, Vasco Oliveira, Kuka, Leandro Silva (captain), Ze Ouattara, Lucio C. Pedro Embis, Leandro Antunes and Jair da Silva. Enter Brian Roches, Kaka, Arsenio Nunes, Diogo Amado and Joao Resende. For the duel against Maritimo, players like Jordan van der Gaag or Sergio Ribeiro are expected to remain out due to injury. Lucho Vega left due to Oliveira de Azeméis’ physical problems.
With three goals and one assist in the last two rounds, and always from the bench, Honduran striker Brian Roches is the standout star, having recorded seven accurate shots in nine matches this season in all competitions. He is the team’s top scorer, ahead of Leandro Antunes (5) and Jair da Silva (4). The Brazilian winger ranks second with the most minutes in the team (1,024), behind experienced centre-back Marco Paicinho, who has a total of 1,080 minutes and a guarantee of defensive security.
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