Sporting Lisbon vs Porto Match Analysis and Prediction

5 years ago 1079

Two Portuguese powerhouses in Sporting Lisbon and FC Porto go head to head at the Estado Jose Alvalade in the first leg of the first semifinal of the Taca de Portugal on Wednesday night with kickoff at 23:45.

Reigning Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon will be looking to claim a third domestic silverware for the 2021-22 season, having already bagged Supertaca and Taca da Liga, beating fierce city rivals 2-1 Benfica for the latter.

Sporting CP cruised through the previous stages to of the competition with little resistance to make it to the semi-finals, they opened their campaign in the third round where they dispatched fellow Primeira Liga outfits Belenenses 4-0 at away, before seeing off Varzim 2-1 at home in the fourth round. They then proceeded to knockout Casa Pia in the last-16 following a 2-1 away victory before sending Leca parking in the quarter-finals after the 4-0 triumph at away.

Now they meet with Porto in the semi-finals and they will be looking to gain the upper hand on the road to the final. They are coming of a somewhat disappointing 1-1 draw against Maritimo in the Primeira Liga where they sit points behind their opponents at the summit of the league.

Meanwhile Porto also cruised through the competition’s earlier stages to get to the semi-finals. They opened their Taca de Portugal in the third where they raced to 5-0 victory over Sintrense, before dispatching Feirense in the fourth round following a 5-1 victory.

The Primeira Liga leaders then proceeded to knockout fellow league giants Benfica in the last-16 following an emphatic 3-0 home victory before sending another Primeira Liga outfit Vizela parking in the quarter-finals after a 3-1 victory at away.

Now they travel to take on close rivals Sporting in the first leg of the semi-finals and they will be looking to revenge on the Lions who defeated them in the finals of the 2018-19 edition in a penalty shoot-out.

Porto have been impressive recently with the side going unbeaten in their last 16 matches across all competitions while have lost none of their last eight matches on the road and will be looking to maintain the run as they aim at getting on leg into the final of the Taca de Portugal.