The Portuguese Primeira Liga returns with another set of mouth-watering fixtures as Sporting Lisbon and Braga go head to head at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Saturday.
Os Arcebispos will head into the game desperate to get one over the hosts after losing each of the last five meetings between the sides since 2020.
Match preview
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Sporting Lisbon made it two wins from two and ensured they stayed within touching distance with league leaders Porto when they claimed a 2-0 victory at Vizela last Sunday.
In a one-sided affair at the Estadio do FC Vizela, the Portuguese duo of Pedro Goncalves and Daniel Braganca scored 14 minutes apart in the first half to hand the Leoes all three points.
Prior to that, Ruben Amorim's side secured smooth passage to the semi-finals of the Taca de Portugal when they cruised to a comprehensive 4-0 win over Segunda Liga side Leca last Tuesday.
Sporting Lisbon have now won seven of their last eight games in all competitions, with a surprise 3-2 loss at the hands of Santa Clara which in their first game of the New Year being the only exception.
The reigning champions have now won 15, drawn two and lost just one of their 18 league games this season to collect 47 points and sit second in the Primeira Liga standings, three points off leaders Porto.
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Meanwhile, Braga continue to struggle to impose themselves this season as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against a rejuvenated Maritimo side at the Estadio Braga Municipal last time out.
Despite being on the front foot for most of the game and seeing 65% of the ball possession, Os Arcebispos failed to convert their dominance into goalscoring opportunities as defender Claudio Winck broke the deadlock in the 89th minute to hand the visitors all three points.
Carlos Carvalhal's men have now managed just one win from their most recent four games in all competitions, picking up one draw and losing two, including a 1-0 defeat against Vizela on December 23 which saw their Taca de Portugal title defence come to an end.
With 32 points from 18 games, Braga are currently fourth on the log, nine points off third-placed Benfica and five above Gil Vicente in the final UEFA Europa Conference League qualification spot.
While they will be looking to find their feet, next up is an opposing side who have won each of the last five meetings between the sides, stretching back to a 1-0 defeat back in February 2020.
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Team News
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Amorim remains unable to call upon the services of 23-year-old forward Jovane Cabral, who has been out of action since picking up a muscle problem against Varzim in the Taca de Portugal.
Geny Catamo will also play no part in Saturday's game as the Mozambican youngster is currently in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.
With his strike against Vizela last time out, Goncalves now boasts double-digits goal involvements this season and the Portuguese sensation will be one to keep an eye out for.
Braga, on the other hand, will take to the pitch without the duo of Yan Couto and Tiago Sa, who have recently tested positive for COVID-19.
The Portuguese defensive duo of Nuno Sequeira and David Carmo are also out of contention for Os Arcebispos as they continue their spells on the sidelines after sustaining knee and ankle injuries respectively.
However, they will be boosted by the return of Bruno Rodrigues, who is now available for selection after serving his suspension for picking up a red card against Famalicao on January 9.
Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Adan; Coates, Inacio, Reis; Esgaio, Palhinha, Santos, Nunes; Goncalves, Sarabia; Paulinho
Braga possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Tormena, Oliveira, Leite; Galeno, A Horta, Moura, Al Musrati; Medeiros, R Horta, Oliveira
We say: Sporting Lisbon 2-0 Braga
Braga, who have struggled for consistency this season, go up against a rampant Sporting Lisbon side who have won all but one of their last eight games in all competitions. Amorim's men are currently on a five-game winning streak against the visitors and we anticipate they will extend their dominance and claim all three points on Saturday.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Sporting Lisbon win with a probability of 52.55%. A draw had a probability of 24.4% and a win for Braga had a probability of 23%.
The most likely scoreline for a Sporting Lisbon win was 1-0 with a probability of 11.53%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (9.63%) and 2-0 (9.56%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (11.62%), while for a Braga win it was 0-1 (7.02%). The actual scoreline of 1-2 was predicted with a 5.9% likelihood.
