FC Porto vs Sporting Lisbon Predictions

• Porto have won their last three cup meetings against Sporting
• Sporting are without their two senior goalkeepers through injury
• Porto have won five of their last six games, including at fourth-placed Braga last weekend

Keeper could crumble under cup final pressure

Sporting Club’s hopes of a domestic double could lie in the hands of an inexperienced goalkeeper when they take on Porto at Jamor in the Portuguese Cup Final on Sunday.

Senior glovemen Franco Israel and Antonio Adan have both been ruled out of this clash with the Dragons, although Sporting fans have faith in youngster Diogo Pinto. The 19-year-old has kept back-to-back clean sheets against Estoril and Chaves since stepping off the bench and into the limelight.

But performing in meaningless end-of-season league games when the title has been won is one thing and doing it when the pressure is on in a cup final is another.

Porto picked to pop Sporting’s double dream

Porto could be without defensive organiser Pepe for this clash too, but they have coped rather well without the veteran since he sustained the injury last month.

Sergio Conceicao’s side have won five and drawn one of their lats six games – and identical record to that of the Lions. 

Each side’s one draw came against each other in a terrific 2-2 at the Dragao and another exciting contest could be on the cards in Lisbon. But Porto, who have won the last three cup meetings of the two clubs, appear hungrier for silverware than the champions and can sneak a 2-1 win to take the cup back north.