Lusitano vs Sporting Lisbon Predictions

Lusitano are performing well in their regional section of the Campeonato de Portugal, but this weekend they face the toughest test in the clubs 102-year history when they play host to Primeira Liga side Sporting CP. The hosts have already knocked out one top division side in the form of relegation battlers Nacional, but Sporting CP present a much bigger threat as they are challenging for the league title. Sporting are likely to make a few changes to their starting eleven with a trip to Baku to face Qarabağ in the Europa League a few days after their Taça de Portugal tie.

Lusitano romped to a 5-1 win on Sunday when they made the trip to the Parque Desportivo de Sant´Ana to face Penalva Castelo. Diogo Braz opened the scoring for the visitors in the fifteenth minute, and shortly before the break Nuno Rodrigues made it 2-0 and thrust Lusitano into a commanding half time lead. Kiko Bondoso added a third goal for the visitors just after the hour mark, and teammate Diogo Braz made it 4-0 with his second goal of the game on the seventy minute mark. Rafael Barreiros pulled a goal back for the hosts two minutes later, but Lusitano had the last laugh as Hélder Rodrigues scored the last goal of the game in the eighty-ninth minute to make the final scoreline read 5-1 to the visitors.

Brazilian Lucas Klysman top scores for the hosts this season with seven goals in the Campeonato de Portugal, and the 28-year old will provide the biggest goal threat to the Primeira Liga side on Saturday. Former Manchester United winger Nani and Dutch striker Dost joint top score for Sporting CP this season with five Primeira Liga goals each, and it will be interesting to see whether the experienced regular first teams attackers make it into the starting lineup this weekend.

Sporting CP just scraped past Chaves at home before the international break, running out 2-1 winners in the Primeira Liga. Dost opened the scoring in the twenty-third minute after good work from Acuña, who claimed the assist. Things went from bad to worse for the visitors in the seventy-first minute when Brazil’s Bruno Gallo was shown a straight red card, but Chaves responded well and levelled the game in the eighty-first minute through substitute Niltinho.

Sporting CP needed a last gasp penalty from Dost to win the game, but in truth it was the least their performance deserved after they dominated the entire ninety minutes. The hosts were guilty of being wasteful in front of goal with just two shots hitting the target, not including the goals, . However, other than the goal they conceded, Sporting stopped Chaves from having other shots in the match and Renan Ribeiro was unlucky not to keep a clean sheet.

Despite the fact that both teams head into the game in decent form you can’t hide from the fact that two divisions separate the clubs, not to mention the gulf in class of Sporting CP’s international players and the largely unknown Lusitano squad.

We’re confident that over 3.5 goals will be scored in Saturday’s cup tie, and have backed Sporting CP to claim a comfortable 4-0 victory. Sporting CP sit second in the top division of Portuguese football, while their hosts are fifth in their regional division of the third tier. Sporting CP have won three of their last six matches, and three of Lusitano’s last six matches have produced over 3.5 goals. We’re backing a big win for the visitors, but a lot will depend on the strength of their starting lineup, so keep an eye on that if you are making any bets.