Ajax vs Sporting Lisbon Match Analysis and Prediction

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Group C winners Ajax will be aiming to maintain their perfect Champions League record on Tusday, as they will be hosting Sporting Lisbon at Amsterdam.

The two have already reached the knockout stages, and meet again on the final matchday of the group phase after Dutch champions’ crushing victory in the Portuguese capital.

Since September’s opening day 5-1 success over Sporting, they have kept that momentum to confirm Champions League progress with a game to spare.

Erik ten Hag’s team are sitting top of the Eredivisie after 15 matches, following a 5-0 victory over Willem II last Thursday. That takes their league tally to 48 goals this season.

A fourth successive win in all competitions stretches Ajax’s undefeated run to ten matches since the start of October.

Ajax now want to join the select group of clubs to have qualified from a Champions League group with six wins from six, as they have already secured top spot for the first time since 1995-96 when they went to reach the finals.

Under Ten Hag, Ajax also reached the semi-finals in 2019, and his vibrant current type will harbour ambitition of matching that achievement after the competition’s mid-week break.

With a pair of setbacks for Sporting in September, they have played this week’s opponents win for win over the last three matchdays, which has been enough to secure qualification as Group C runners-up before their trip to Netherlands.

Sporting Lisbon’s latest success came when they defeated Borussia Dortmund late last month, where Pedro Goncalves scored a brace and they won 3-1.

Last Friday’s 3-1 win at Benfica made it a 12th success across all competitions for Ruben Amorim’s team, who are currently level on points with Porto at the top of the league. A 50th Liga victory for Amorim confirms him as one of Ten Hag’s fellow contenders to be Europe’s best managerial property.

Ajax vs Sporting Lisbon head to head

The pair have previously met on one occasion with Ajax showing to be the better while Sporting Lisbon received the humbling defeat. Ajax won 5-1 away, the encounter being in the Champions League on September 15th.

Sporting Lisbon 1-5 Ajax 15/09/21

Ajax latest home form

Ajax are currently on a good run of form at home, as they have lost just two of their last 10 matches at home across all competitions. In their last five, they have won three, drawn one and lost one, with the loss coming on October 3rd where they lost 1-0 to Utrecht.

Ajax 0-1 Utrecht 03/10/21

Ajax 4-0 Borussia Dortmund 19/10/21

Ajax 5-0 PSV 24/10/21

Ajax 0-0 Go Ahead Eagles 07/11/21

Ajax 5-0 Willem II 02/12/21

Ajax latest away form

Sons of the Gods are running on an excellent form away from home, having gone unbeaten on the road for more that ten matches across all competitions. In their last five away, they have won four and drawn in one, scoring 11 goals and conceding just two.

Heracles 0-0 Ajax 30/10/21

Borussia Dortmund 1-3 Ajax 03/11/21

RKC Waalwijk 0-5 Ajax 21/11/21

Besiktas 1-2 Ajax 24/11/21

Sparta Rotterdam 0-1 Ajax 28/11/21

Sporting Lisbon latest home form

Sporting Lisbon are currently on an excellent run of form at home, having lost just once in their 10 most recent matches across all competitions, with their last loss being on September 15th 5-1 to Ajax. They have won all their last five, scoring 12 and conceding just two.

Sporting Lisbon 1-0 Vitoria Guimaraes 30/10/21

Sporting Lisbon 4-0 Besiktas 03/11/21

Sporting Lisbon 2-1 Varzim 18/11/21

Sporting Lisbon 3-1 Borussia Dortmund 24/11/24

Sporting Lisbon 2-0 Tondela 28/11/21

Sporting Lisbon latest away form

The Green and Whites are on a good form on the road just like home,having lost just once in their last ten outings across all competitions, with their last loss coming on September 28th when they lost 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund. They have won their last five, scoring 15 goals and conceding just 3.

Arouca 1-2 Sporting Lisbon 02/10/21

CF Os Belenenses 0-4 Sporting Lisbon 15/10/21

Besiktas 1-4 Sporting Lisbon 19/10/21

Pacos Ferreira 0-2 Sporting Lisbon 07/11/21

Benfica 1-3 Sporting Lisbon 04/12/21

Ajax news

For Ajax, Haller will start up front with support from winger antony and captain Dusan Tadic. Goalkeeper Andre Onana made his first appearence this season after a long ban and could replace Remko Pasveer. Maarten Stekelenburg is expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing groin surgery.

Sporting Lisbon news

Reben Vinagre will miss with an ankle injury and Jovane Cabral with knee injury. Joao Palhinha got a thigh injury in the Tondela match and is likely to miss out. Captain Sebastian Coates was out last Friday by COVID-19 and is likely to take his place, but Luis Neto could deputise in his absence.

Prediction and Odds

Unlike in their last encounter where it was a one-sided game, we expect this one to be closely contested, with the two settled atop Group C. Both teams have the power in their final third and both are likely to score in this match, but we could see more advantage on the home team.

Odds: 1 1.55 X 3.52 2 3.20