Braga Vs Boavista
Saturday 13 June 2020 – 21:00 Kick-Off
Portuguese Primeira Liga
Pick: Braga -1.25 Asian Handicap
Odds: 26/25
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 10 June 2020)
Preview: Saturday’s sole serving from Portugal’s LIGA Nos, otherwise referred to as Primeira Liga, sends goal-shy Boavista to Estadio Municipal de Braga where a wounded Braga await.
Portuguese Primeira Liga Betting at 22Bet
Table of Contents
Sporting Braga Preview – Host to atone for disappointing on restart?
After witnessing the teams around them at the top of Primeira Liga come unstuck prior to facing mid-table Santa Clara on the road last Friday, an opportunity to place serious daylight between themselves, in third, and Sporting Lisbon, three points further back in fourth, presented itself to Braga (3rd – W14 D4 L7). They would not oblige, instead slumping to a shock 3-2 defeat which brought their long unbeaten league run to an end.
Head coach Custodio must be rueful of the COVID-19 break. His team were flying before football was stopped, at which stage they had won nine and lost none of their previous ten league games to take a firm grip of third in the table. Just one game into the resumption and all that hard work was scuppered, contriving to throw away not one but two leads in Santa Clara before losing the contest in the closing stages.
A fifth red card of the season – only two teams faring worse in this metric – evidently didn’t help their cause last time out, as Braga were forced to play a man light for the final half-hour. Defender Raul Silva will consequently serve a suspension on Saturday, as his Arsenalista teammates quickly go about making amends at home, where their record has been strong over the course of 2019/20 so far (W7 D3 L2).
Boavista Preview – Where will the goals come from?
There may have been nearly three months in between but Boavista (11th – W7 D8 L10) wasted no time reverting to their pre-lockdown form, recording their fourth loss in five league games in last week’s 1-0 defeat at home to Moreirense. Fortunately for them, it was a result which doesn’t unduly affect them, still ten points clear of the relegation places.
It does, however, beg the question where this team would be were it not for their early season form. Going unbeaten through the first nine gameweeks (W3 D6), Boavista would win only one of the next eight fixtures until embarking on a three-match winning sequence around the turn of February, all attained without conceding. It is this run which appears to have all but mathematically confirmed their safety.
Boavista have certainly been playing like a team whose fear of relegation subsided long ago. Their last five fixtures garnering a single point and only two goals scored, leaving them with one of the bluntest attacks, statistically speaking, in Primeira Liga this season – only two teams managing fewer than their 19 from 25 games. Meanwhile, nobody ranks worse when it comes to goals scored away from home (just 8 in 12 outings; W4 D4 L4).
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions
Click here for more Betting Tips
Braga Vs Boavista Betting Advice
It would appear Boavista have become complacent, losing four of five and scoring only two goals since reeling off three successive victories in February to put themselves well clear of the league’s two relegation spots. Their gameplan is also likely predictable, too: 8 goals scored and 10 conceded in their 12 away outings indicating a team about to become well acquainted with its own penalty area.
Braga Vs Boavista – Key Facts
- Beaten for the first time in 11 Primeira Liga matches last time out, Braga will hope to bounce back swiftly at home having won four of their last five such games.
- Just one point registered from the last 15 available for Boavista, who have scored fewer away goals (8 in 12 games) this season than any other side in Portugal’s top tier.
- Boavista have won the last two meetings between the sides, both at home, but were last victorious as the visiting side in 2002 (D3 L8 since).
Champions League qualification is still not guaranteed for Braga, who will be keen to atone for losing a first league fixture in eleven last time out. A home win to nil appeals when considering the blunt nature of their visitors, however, clean sheets have been rather scarce for Braga recently, with none in four and only two across the previous 13 Matchdays. Something to be mindful of perhaps.
Best Betting Odds – Braga Vs Boavista
Braga – 4/9 (Ladbrokes)
Draw – 15/4 (Betway)
Boavista – 15/2 (Bet365)
