Preview: Sporting Lisbon vs Torreense - prediction, team news, lineups

In what looks like a heavily one-sided contest on paper, Sporting Lisbon will aim to retain the Taca de Portugal when they face second-tier club Torreense in Sunday’s final at the Estadio Nacional.

The Lions lifted the trophy for the 18th time last season after edging rivals Benfica in a dramatic extra-time victory, and they now meet a Torres Vedras outfit hoping to pull off the greatest upsets in the competition’s recent history.

Match preview

Sporting head into Sunday’s showpiece as clear favourites, aiming to salvage silverware from what has been a relatively underwhelming campaign after failing to retain last season’s Primeira Liga and Taca de Portugal double.

The Lions were still competing on three fronts late into the season, but their challenge unravelled in April when they managed just two wins from eight matches across all competitions (D4, L2), leading to exits from both the Champions League and the Primeira Liga title race.

However, Rui Borges’s side still secured a place in another Taca de Portugal final during that spell, holding Porto to a goalless draw in the semi-final second leg after edging the first leg 1-0 in early March, underlining a far-from-smooth route to the showpiece.

Indeed, the Lions needed extra time to get past Pacos de Ferreira, Santa Clara and AVS in the previous rounds, with Marinhense being the only side they have beaten comfortably in this season’s Taca de Portugal, though the Lisbon giants head into Sunday’s final in explosive form.

Sporting have won each of their last three matches, scoring a combined 12 goals and conceding just twice in that stretch, the latest a 3-0 thrashing of Gil Vicente on the final day of the league campaign to secure second place in the Primeira Liga table, offering further confidence to Borges and his men in what already looks an uneven contest.

For a Torreense side appearing in only their second-ever Taca de Portugal final — a first since losing to Porto in 1956 — the journey to this season's showpiece has been extraordinary, having scaled past Correlha, Lusitania, Casa Pia, Leiria and Oliveirense before beating Fafe 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg in the Braga district, Luis Tralhao’s men made home advantage count in the return fixture, beating their third-tier visitors 2-0 at Estadio Manuel Marques thanks to a late strike from David Bruno and a stoppage-time penalty from Stopira

That result formed part of an ongoing seven-match unbeaten run (W5, D2), a spell which saw Torreense finish third in the Liga 2 table and secure a playoff shot at a first-ever top-flight appearance, with Casa Pia standing between them and promotion.

The opening fixture of that two-legged decider ended goalless at Manuel Marques on Wednesday, further underlining Torreense’s defensive solidity, with the side now keeping clean sheets in five of their last seven matches, and Tralhao’s men will hope that resilience can carry them through on Sunday as they look to make history.

Sporting Lisbon Taca de Portugal form:

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

Torreense Taca de Portugal form:

Torreense form (all competitions):

Team News

Sporting are expected to remain without Ivan Fresneda (muscle), Joao Simoes (foot), Fotis Ioannidis (knee) and Nuno Santos, while Zeno Debast is also a major doubt with a femur injury.

On a positive note, centre-back Ousmane Diomande is available again after serving a one-match suspension for accumulation of bookings, though it remains to be seen whether he or Eduardo Quaresma will partner Goncalo Inacio at the heart of defence.

Club captain Morten Hjulmand marked his return from injury with a goal in last weekend’s win, while Luis Suarez also got on the scoresheet to finish as Primeira Liga top scorer with 28 strikes, taking his overall tally to 37 across all competitions, including three in the Taca de Portugal.

Torreense, meanwhile, are sweating over the fitness of Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Liberato, who was forced off in Wednesday’s playoff clash with Casa Pia, and if ruled out, Andre Simoes could join Leo Silva in a double pivot.

Other expected absentees include Portuguese midfielder Pite and Spanish forward Manuel Pozo, both of whom have been missing from recent matchday squads.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Silva; Vangiannidis, Diamonde, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulmand, Morita; Goncalves, Trincao, Catamo; Suarez

Torreense possible starting lineup:

Paes; Bruno, Mohamed, Stopira, Vazquez; Leo Silva, A Simoes; Quintero, Alfaro, Jean; Drammeh

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Torreense

Sunday’s final pits a heavyweight Sporting side against second-tier Torreense, who will likely lean on their defensive solidity for any chance of causing an upset.

The Lions finished the Primeira Liga season in strong attacking form, and we expect them to prove too strong for their opponents, who also arrive with less recovery time, making a comfortable Sporting victory the most likely outcome.

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