Arouca vs Sporting Lisbon Prediction & Betting Tips - League Cup

Prediction published on 22/01/2022, 04:30  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 22/01/2023 at 04:54 in Football Predictions

The Portuguese League Cup is down to the last four teams, and in our featured match, we will have the defending champions, Sporting CP, taking a trip to Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa to take on Arouca in the first semi-final on Tuesday night. The winners will go on to verse either Porto or Viseu FC, who will play the following night. Sporting knocked out last season’s finalist Braga by a 5-0 margin in the quarter-final and come into this match following a 2-1 league win over Vizela last Friday, which kept them in fourth place in the Primeira Liga, seven points behind Porto in third. Over their last six matches, Sporting has won four, drawn one, and lost one. While scoring goals hasn’t been an issue for the visitors, they will want to tighten up in defense, where they’ve conceded in three consecutive matches.

Arouca have been solid this season by their own standards and have pulled themselves into contention for one of the five European competition spots on offer. They are in sixth place in the league, with 26 points in 17 games, just one behind Casa Pia in fifth. Arouca saw off Moreirense 2-1 in the last round of the League Cup and will be confident coming into this match after beating Portimonense 4-0 in their last match. The home side has won three, drawn one, and lost two of their last six matches, but they have only lost one of their last five matches in all competitions at home. The last time these sides met was three months ago in the Primeira Liga, where Arounca came away with their first win in the last six attempts against Sporting and will be hoping to go back-to-back in front of their home fans.