Competition: Taca de Portugal

Market: Goal to be scored in both halves

Odds: 2/5 @ BetUS

Looking to book their Taca de Portugal semi-final ticket with a statement on Thursday night, Sporting Lisbon will welcome AFS to the Estadio Jose Alvalde.

Starting with the hosts, while Sporting Lisbon might have a real battle on their hands in the race to defend their Primeira Liga crown this season, the Portuguese heavyweights are enjoying what has become an extended purple patch. Last seen over the weekend getting February underway with a 2-1 victory at home against Nacional, Rui Borges’ men have won all of their previous five appearances across all competitions and the mood in their camp appears to be at a red-hot high. Storming their way to a sensational Champions League Round of 16 ticket last week as they claimed a thrilling 3-2 win away at Athletic Bilbao, Sporting have collected some famous scalps. Landing an iconic 2-1 win against reigning European PSG on January 20th, Borges’ high-flying squad are riding a major wave of momentum. Finding a real clinical edge in the final third, Thursday’s hosts have also gained a fearsome reputation for their dominance on home soil. In fact, Sporting have won 11 of their last 12 showdowns at the Estadio Jose Alvalde – a run that stems back to a 1-1 stalemate against Braga on October 5th.

As for the visitors, while AVS might have eventually dragged themselves over the finishing line last season as they clung to their Primeira Liga status, Joao Henriques’ side have already accepted their fate this time around. Breaking a string of unwanted records this season and already planning for life back in Portugal’s second-tier, Thursday’s guests have remarkably claimed just five points from any of their 20 Primeira Liga appearances so far this season. Rightfully sat rock-bottom of the table and already 13 points adrift of safety, AVS couldn’t have asked for a tougher challenge when they travel to Lisbon in midweek. Last seen falling to a woeful 4-0 defeat at home against Braga, it is no surprise that the Portuguese strugglers are pencilled in as a landslide underdog when they turn their attention back to Taca de Portugal duties here. It should also be noted, Henriques’ camp slumped to a 6-0 drumming when they last travelled to the Estadio Jose Alvalde on December 13th.

Bet: Goal to be scored in both halves at Sporting Lisbon vs AVS 2/5 for Thursday’s Taca de Portugal matchup @ BetUS