Sporting CP vs Tondela
18th June 2115hrs
Football – Portugal – Primeira Liga
Betting Pick: Under 2.5 goals
Bookmaker BetVictor
Odds:9/10 odds taken 1800GMT, Wednesday 17 June
Sporting continue to push for a Europa League finish when they host a Tondela side who will be confident of avoiding relegation following their recent results.
Table of Contents
Sporting CP Preview – Can Sporting cement their top four position and move closer to European qualification?
It’s been a two horse race in Portugal for a long time so the best Sporting have been aiming for is a top four finish to secure Europa League football and if possible, finish third behind the top two. They are currently in fourth spot but level on points with third placed Sporting Braga. It’s likely a battle that will go to the wire.
Since the restart in Portugal, Sporting have been somewhat in different with a 2-2 draw away to Victoria Guimaraes before a narrow 1-0 win at home to lowly Pacos de Ferreira last time out. It’s been indicative of their form as a while throughout the campaign in fairness.
There’s been no in between with Sporting at home this season. Their 13 league games have been split with nine wins and four defeats. That makes them the only team in the league who have yet to draw a home match. The Jose Alvalade is also not a stadium where you can expect to see many goals with just 32 goals in total scored here so far in the league.
Sporting still have Porto and Benfica to play before the end of the season and as they are only three points clear of fifth placed Famalicao then they have to continue picking up wins in games like these.
Tondela Preview – Will Tondela continue their recent good form and move clear of relegation trouble?
The visitors come into this game in 14th position, but more importantly they are now seven points clear of the bottom two and looking on course to stay in the Portuguese too-flight. Their two results since starting back have been very positive with an away draw against Benfica followed by an authoritative 2-0 win at home to Desportivo Aves who currently sit bottom. The performance and result against the other half of Lisbon will give them confidence going into this game.
There’s no doubt it was something of a surprise as Tondela had lost four of their last six on their travels and have scored just one goal in that time.
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With eight games still to play there is more than enough football left for Tondela to know they have to continue this good run of theirs to avoid being dragged into any relegation fight.
Although they have not been great away from home of late, Tondela hae picked uo most of their points on the road. 18 of their 29 points have come on their travels so they know how to get a result away from home and their style of play certainly seems to suit it.
Sporting CP vs Tondela Betting Advice
One of just two home victories for Tondela this season was, ironically enough, against Sporting when the teams met back in November. It was 1-0 on that occasion and there is a lot to suggest that Thursday’s game will be just as low-scoring.
Sporting’s home games do not produce a lot of goals. Eight of Lisbon’s last 10 home games have finished with under three goals in them. Out the same number of games Tondela have played away from home, there have been seven occasions where there have been two or fewer goals at full-time.
Key Facts – Sporting CP vs Tondela Betting Tip
- Sporting sit fourth add in control of the second Europa League qualification position
- Tondela have taken four points from their two games since the break, keeping clean sheets in both
- It was a famous victory for Tondela the last time they teams met, winning 1-0 back in November
As well as recent form of the two teams, this fixture tends to be low-scoring, with four of the last seven meetings going under 2.5 goals. I’m happy enough to side with that again going into tomorrow’s game.
The best betting odds for Sporting CP vs Tondela
Sporting CP to win: 4/9 at Ladbrokes
Draw: 13/4 at Ladbrokes
Tondela to win: 13/2 at Ladbrokes
