Sporting Lisbon vs Pacos Ferreira Prediction & Betting Tips - Liga Portugal

Prediction published on 12/02/2021, 20:57  by Nella Wagah | Modified on 12/02/2021 at 21:03 in Liga Portugal Predictions

It is Match Day 19 in Portugal and runaway leaders Sporting Club Portugal are looking to extend their advantage as they host Pacos de Ferreira. Sporting have 48 points, at the top of the Primeira Liga standings, 13 points ahead of their fifth placed visitors. The last time Sporting won the league title was in 2002 and after living under the shadow of Porto and Benfica, this could be their year. They are eight points ahead of second placed Porto and this is a chance to put an 11-point buffer. It has been a great league season for Sporting; they’re the only unbeaten side so far in the league. Heading to this game Sporting have won each of their last six matches and are unbeaten in seven. They have four clean sheets in the last five matches and have lost just once in their last 23 matches. The last time Sporting lost a league game was last season, falling 3-1 to Benfica in July 2020. They are also unbeaten in the last 17 home matches in the league and have the best defence in the league.

Pacos are also on a good run, though not as impressive as Sporting’s. In their last five matches they’ve managed four wins and a draw, while they’re unbeaten in nine matches. Their last match ended 0-0 against Portimonense, and that was the first time in 10 games that they’ve failed to score. It was also their third clean sheet in five matches, while they have scored two or more goals in four of their last five matches. Pacos head to this game with three straight away wins, and are unbeaten in four away league matches. In their last away match, Pacos were headed to their third straight away clean sheet but a late Alaa Abbas goal gave Gil Vicente the consolation in Pacos’ 2-1 win. The visitors have done well defensively this season. In fact, they have the joint second best defence, after Sporting, having conceded 14 goals. However, it is in attack that they’ve been unconvincing; they have 26 goals in the league – the lowest tally among the top five teams.