Braga and Sporting set for domestic cup semi-final showdown

Sporting Braga vs Sporting CP - 23/01/2024

Maciej Rogowski Photo / Shutterstock.com

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On Tuesday evening, two of Portugal’s top teams will lock horns at the Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa in the semi-finals of the Taca da Liga.

Braga entertain Sporting in the first semi-final, and the victor will face the winner of the second semi-final between Benfica and Estoril Praia in Saturday’s final.

Using predictive analytics, Forebet has created a stats-based preview for Tuesday’s clash. Let’s dive into the trends and mathematics behind the game.

Last time out, Braga claimed a 2-1 victory over Famalicao, coming from behind the claim all three points thanks to Alvara Djalo’s 101st-minute winner.

As a result, Artur Jorge’s side find themselves fourth in the Liga Portugal standings – five points outside the top three and 10 points shy of table-topping Sporting.

Braga kicked off their Taca da Liga campaign with a 1-1 draw against Casa Pia before booking their place in the semi-finals with a 3-1 victory over Nacional.

However, Jorge’s men have been wildly inconsistent of late, recording three wins, one draw and four losses in their past eight matches across all competitions.

Sporting, meanwhile, thrashed Vizela 5-2 last time out, meaning they have now won 15 of their 18 league encounters this season.

In-form striker Viktor Gyokeres bagged a brace against Vizela, taking his tally for the season to 22 goals and 10 assists in 25 appearances across all competitions.

Sporting carry an eight-game winning streak into Tuesday’s clash, having scored 26 goals (3.3 goals per game) while keeping four clean sheets in that time.

In the Taca da Liga, the Lions crushed Farense 4-2 before defeating Tondela 2-1 to punch their ticket to the semi-finals, making them the favourites to advance.

Head-to-head: Sporting have avoided defeat in each of their last four meetings with Braga, securing a couple of 5-0 victories for good measure.

In terms of the bigger picture, Braga have managed to win just one of their previous 10 matches against the Lions, suffering seven defeats along the way.

Team news: Braga are currently without key striker Simon Banza, who is representing DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations. Sikou Niakate is also away on AFCON duty with Mali.

Sporting are also missing several players due to international commitments. Geny Catamo and Ousmane Diomande are at AFCON, while Hidemasa Morita is on Asian Cup duty with Japan.

Tuesday’s showdown looks destined to be a close-fought battle between two strong teams, although it feels like Sporting hold the edge over Braga.

Forebet predicts that Braga and Sporting will combine for over 2.5 goals, with the Lions outscoring the hosts on this occasion.

Home team
Away team

Probability %

1X2

Pred

Correct score

Avg. goals

Weather conditions

Coef.

Score

Live
coef.

PtC

Sporting Braga Sporting CP 23/01/2024 20:45

283438

2

1 - 2

2.88

15°

1.91

3.40 3.60 1.91 no no no

FT

1 - 0(0 - 0)

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