On Friday evening, Nacional Madeira host Sporting CP, in a potentially vital game for the home side in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
Nacional are currently 18th place in the Portuguese top-flight. However, the home side are just a point from safety in the fight for survival.
A terrible recent run of league form has certainly not helped their position, as they have failed to win in five games while suffering four defeats in the process. Last time out, the Islanders lost 1-0 at Boavista, in a game that saw them fail to score for the third time in four league matches.
Nacional have a poor recent home record in the Portuguese top-flight, winning just two of their last seven matches at the Estadio da Madeira. The fact that the home side has failed to score in five of those seven games hints at why they have struggled to pick up points on home soil of late.
Sporting are currently eight points behind the leagues top-two Benfica and Porto in the table, despite a stellar recent run of league form in the Portuguese top-flight.
The team from the Portuguese capital are now nine games unbeaten in the Primeira Liga, having recorded eight wins. The visitors have also scored at least two goals in five of their last six league outings.
Sporting’s recent away form has also been good, as they are unbeaten in six matches, having recorded four victories.
The visitors have also been prolific on their travels of late in the Portuguese top-flight, scoring at least twice in four of their last five league outings. Their effectiveness in front of goal has led to four of their last five games producing over 2.5 goals.
Forebet predicts that Sporting will continue their recent good run of form by recording a victory in a high scoring encounter.