Porto vs Victoria Guimaraes
22 April 2100hrs
Football – Portugal – Primeira Liga
Pick Porto to win to nil
Bookmaker PaddyPower
Odds: Evens odds taken 2000 GMT, Tuesday 20 April
An in-form Porto team will be hoping to keep the pressure on Sporting CP when facing Vitoria Guimaraes, whom themselves are needing points for the purposes of European football.
Table of Contents
Porto Preview – Will Porto find another win and keep the pressure on leaders Sporting?
With seven games to play in the Portuguese top-flight, Porto will feel they are still in with a chance of retaining their title. Sporting have been in pole position from virtually the start of the season but Sergio Conceicao’s men are in the best form of the season and looking to make it seven straight wins in the league.
It’s a run which has got them to within six points of their rivals so whilst it’s manageable, there’s no doubt the current league leaders remain big favourites. Porto will be hoping their experience and their rivals’ inexperience could yet prove decisive, however.
The biggest frustration for Porto will be their home form, especially since the turn of the year. The reigning champions have drawn three of their last six home games, two of which have came against Sporting and Benfica. Thursday’s game is the first of four remaining home matches and they essentially have to win them all.
A narrow exit to Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League brought to an end a good run in European football this season. With a six point lead over third place Benfica they look well on their way to guaranteeing automatic qualification for next season but they will sense a big opportunity of retaining their title.
Victoria Guimaraes Preview – Can Guimaraes build on their weekend win to keep place with European spots?
Whilst their opponents are motoring along of late, it’s been the opposite for Vitoria Guimaraes. A team who have been in the top five for the entirety of the season have been struggling in the past couple of months. Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to Santa Clara was their first victory in six games – they had actually lost their previous five and failed to score in three of them.
Due to that string of defeats Guimaraes slipped down the table and are currently in sixth spot which means outside the European places for next season. They have work to do as they are six points behind Pacos but do have a game in hand over that rival.
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You have to go all the way back to January for the last time Guimaraes won a match away from home. That was a 1-0 win away to Famalicao and since then they have played six, taking just two points in that run of matches. They have also lost their last four away games, failing to score in their last three. It’s clear to see where Guimaraes problem’s lie.
Veteran winger Ricardo Quaresma is the star name in the squad but it’s Colombian striker Oscar Estupinan who is their biggest threat. He is averaging a goal every second game so far this season having returned to the club in the summer following a spell in Turkey.
Porto vs Victoria Guimaraes Betting Advice
Porto simply have to keep winning games and hope that Sporting slip up as they bid to narrow the gap between themselves and the leaders. They won a thrilling match when the teams met earlier in the campaign, a game that ended 3-2. That takes their winning streak over this opponent to four.
Key Facts – Porto vs Victoria Guimaraes Betting Tip
- Porto are now just six points behind leaders Sporting having won their last six league games
- Guimaraes ended a desperate run by defeating Santa Clara 1-0 – their first success in six games
- The meeting between these two earlier in the season ended in a 3-2 win for Porto
I’ve mentioned the problems that Guimaraes have had in front of goal recently, especially on their travels. As such, the selection in this one is Porto to win the game without conceding.
Best Betting Odds for Porto vs Victoria Guimaraes
