There’s a tasty top-of-the-table clash in the Portuguese top flight on Friday evening when 3rd placed Benfica play host to 2nd placed Sporting CP at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica with both teams not only keen on grabbing all three points but also to earn bragging rights in this local derby.
Having scored a total of 13 goals in their last two matches in the Liga Portugal with crushing 6-1 and 7-0 wins over Sporting Braga and Belenenses respectively, Friday’s hosts, Benfica, will be in confident mood in hitting the back of the net again when they entertain Sporting CP.
Indeed, Benfica have suffered just the one defeat so far in this season’s domestic top flight campaign which was a surprise 1-0 defeat at home to Portimonense but that has been the host’s only anomaly to date this term as they’ve also picked up 10 wins from their 12 matches played.
Benfica have also lost just one of their last eight matches on home soil while goals for both teams have also featured, with six of these eight games also seeing both teams score.
Friday night’s visitors, Sporting Lisbon, currently sit one league position and one point above their hosts as they too have produced some impressive set of results lately in the Portuguese top flight, winning their last seven matches on the trot.
However, unlike Benfica, Sporting Lisbon have yet to taste defeat so far in this season’s Liga Portugal campaign as the visitors have won 10 and drawn 2 of their 12 matches played to date this term and they will also fancy their chances of gaining a result here on Friday night.
Sporting’s results away from home have also been impressive as the visitors have lost just one out of their last 22 matches on their travels while three of Sporting’s five away games this season have also seen both teams score.
The visitors have been in stellar form of late but their winning streak could come under close scrutiny by their hosts, Benfica, in what promises to be a mouthwatering clash between two of the league’s heavyweights.
Two of the previous three meetings between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon have resulted in both teams scoring and Friday night’s encounter may be no exception.