Tip SPORTING PORTUGAL – PORTO

Porto might have beaten Sporting on the last day of the season, but their Taca de Portugal final opponents were victorious when the pair went head to head in the Taca da Liga final in January. The pressure feels like it’s on Porto more than Sporting this weekend, as Porto lost the title race and have no trophies this season, while Sporting have already tasted glory and wouldn’t have been expecting to claim both competitions. When the two sides met in Porto on the final day of the season Sporting had a poor start to the evening, as they lost defender Borja to a red card after just nineteen minutes. The teams went in level at the break, despite the hosts piling on the pressure, and it was Sporting that broke the deadlock with their only shot on target from Phellype just after the hour mark. Porto responded well, knowing they had to win the game to stand any chance of claiming the title, and equalised in the seventy-eighth minute through Pereira. The hosts continued to push forward in search of a winning goal and three minutes from time they got it via Mexican midfielder Herrera. Late drama in the game saw Corona sent-off for the hosts, as the news of a Benfica victory lead to frustration amongst the home crowed and their players, ending in the Mexican’s dismissal. The recent head to head record between these two clubs, their performances in the Primeira Liga towards the end of the season, and the result of their Taca da Liga final encounter, suggests that both teams will score on Saturday and that Sporting have the psychological advantage which should give them the edge. Both teams have scored in three of the last five encounters between these two clubs, and Sporting have already beaten Porto in one cup final this season. Both teams head into the Taca de Portugal final with four wins, one draw, and one defeat from their last six matches and both sides haven’t failed to score in any of their last six matches.