Shakhtar Donetsk vs Sporting Braga Betting Tips & Predictions

Shakhtar managed to go two goals to the good in Portugal last Thursday despite being on the receiving end of an assault on their goalmouth. They were simply more clinical in front of goal, scoring two of their seven shots. Sporting Braga, meanwhile, had 14 shots on goal and the lion’s share of possession, but didn’t manage to get on the scoresheet until the 90th minute in the game.

However, this last ditch goal has given the Portuguese side a fighting chance, but they will have to be extremely impressive to overturn the deficit in Ukraine on Thursday.

Shakhtar Donetsk have only lost two of their last 15 matches in all competitions and have won four of their last 16. They have also had the better of Sporting Braga in all three of their meetings in the past.

Sporting Braga aren’t in good form at all either. They have only won three of their last 12 matches in all competitions and have lost four times in their last seven outings. They could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Moreirense on Sunday as well, so it’s not looking good for them.

Away from home things are even worse for the visitors. They have lost three away days on the bounce in all competitions and haven’t won any of their last five matches on the road.

I’m not giving Sporting Braga much of a fighting chance for this one. They are simply not a good enough side to overturn the deficit, and they are coming up against a Shakhtar side who have netted a huge 15 goals in their last four home games, including an 8-1 win.

The visitors’ necessity to attack will open holes up at the back as well, and I expect Shakhar Donetsk to take advantage of this. Odds of 8/11 for a Shakhtar Donetsk win look excellent value, and I’m going for 2-1 correct score prediction at 15/2 as well.