Nacional vs Vitoria Guimaraes Predictions

Nacional moved up to twelfth place in the Primeira Liga table after beating bottom side Chaves in their last league game, but suffered defeat in the Taca da Liga on Friday which meant they finished bottom of Group B. Wednesday’s guests Vitoria Guimaraes are already out of the Taca da Liga, but picked up a memorable win over title chasing Sporting Lisbon last time out and will be full of confidence ahead of their trip to Madeira.

Chaves gave a decent account of themselves against Nacional last time out, but in a match where chances arrived at a premium the first team to score always looked likely to win the game. Hosts Nacional broke the deadlock in the thirty-fifth minute through their Argentine forward Rochez and lead 1-0 at the break. Both teams mustered four shots on target during the ninety minutes, but none of Chaves’ hit the back of the net and a second goal from Rochez from the penalty spot in the seventy-sixth minute won the game for Nacional.

Vitoria Guimaraes might have only had 48% of the overall possession at home to Sporting CP, but with ten corners to their guests seven, and fourteen shots during the ninety minutes, the hosts deserved to win the game. Guimaraes are now within six points of Sporting CP thanks to that twenty-sixth minute strike from Tozé, and five points behind fourth placed Braga who were thrashed by Benfica. Vitoria Guimaraes are certainly best placed to disrupt the top four sides this season, but have to follow results like the Sporting victory up with wins against mid table teams like Nacional.

The last two times the pair have clashed Vitoria Guimaraes have run out narrow 2-1 winners, most recently in March 2017. Miranda’s twenty-fifth minute strike proved to be the only goal of the first half and gave Guimaraes a narrow lead, which the visitors then doubled five minutes from time through Texeira. Zizo pulled a goal back for the hosts in stoppage time, but the day ended on a sour note for Nacional as defender Rui Correia earned a straight red card moments before the final whistle.

With five wins and one draw from their last six matches, Guimaraes are the clear form favourites heading into Wednesday’s game, with Nacional picking up three wins, one draw, and two defeats during that period. Argentina’s Rochez is the danger man up front for the hosts and top scores in the league for Nacional with seven goals so far. André André leads the way for the visitors with six goals in the Primeira Liga, but is unlikely to feature on Wednesday due to injury.

We’re confident that both teams will score in Wednesday’s game, and have backed the end result to be a 1-1 draw. Both teams have scored in four of the last five meetings between these two clubs, while both teams have also scored in three of Nacional’s last five matches in all competitions.
Vitoria Guimaraes have scored in all of their last six matches, but suspensions and injuries to some key players means they might not have enough in them to claim all three points against Nacional.