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Braga
Primeira Liga | Gameweek 4
Sep 3, 2023 at 8.30pm UK
Estadio Municipal de Braga
Sporting Lisbon

Braga
1 - 1
Sporting Lisbon

Djalo (78')
Niakate (45+4'), Jorge (45+6'), Carvalho (83')
Jorge (90+3')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Goncalves (25')
Gyokeres (27'), Morita (33'), Amorim (40'), Inacio (90'), Goncalves (90'), Diomande (90+4')

Preview: Braga vs. Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Primeira Liga clash between Braga and Sporting Lisbon, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

With the thrill from securing their spot in the Champions League still lingering in the air, Braga play host to Sporting Lisbon in round four of the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Sunday.

The Leoes journey to the Estadio Braga Municipal as one of just three sides with a 100% record in the new league campaign and will look to continue their perfect start to the season.


Match preview

Braga's Andre Horta celebrates scoring their first goal on April 7, 2022© Reuters

Braga booked their spot in the Champions League for the first time in over a decade last Tuesday when they picked up a 1-0 second-leg victory over Panathinaikos in the playoffs to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory over the Greek outfit.

Having secured a 2-1 win in Portugal on August 23, 28-year-old Bruma grabbed the headlines at the Athens Olympic Stadium as he netted the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute to make sure of the result and end Braga's 11-year absence from the continental showpiece.

Artur Jorge's men now turn their attention to the Primeira Liga, where they kicked off the new campaign with a somewhat disappointing 2-1 loss to Famalicao at the Estadio Municipal de Braga on August 11.

However, Os Arcebispos bounced back eight days later when they cruised to a 4-2 victory away to Chaves, with goals from Bruma, Ricardo Horta, Simon Banza and Pizzi capping off a solid team display.

Following their midweek result over Panathinaikos, Braga have now won four consecutive games across all competitions and are unbeaten in 11 of their last 12, claiming 10 wins and one draw in that time.

Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres celebrates scoring their first goal on August 12, 2023© Reuters

Elsewhere, Sporting Lisbon made it three wins from their opening three games of the new Primeira Liga campaign as they saw off a dogged Famalicao side last Sunday.

In a one-sided affair at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, experienced striker Paulinho came up trumps for the hosts once again as he netted a 52nd-minute header to hand the Vila Nova their first defeat of the season.

Prior to that, Ruben Amorim's side scraped a 3-2 victory over Vizela in the league curtain-raiser on August 12, six days before Paulinho scored a brace to hand them a 2-1 victory over Casa Pia at the Estadio Pina Manique.

Sporting Lisbon head into the weekend undefeated in their last 17 league matches, picking up 14 wins and three draws since a 2-1 defeat at the hands of rivals Porto on February 12.

Next up is an opposing side who have failed to win any of the last three meetings between the teams, including two back-to-back 5-0 defeats in Taca da Liga and Primeira Liga respectively.

Braga Primeira Liga form:
  • L
  • W

Braga form (all competitions):
  • W
  • L
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W


Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:
  • W
  • W
  • W

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • W
  • W
  • W


Team News

Braga coach Artur Jorge on September 30, 2022© Reuters

Braga will take to the pitch without the services of experienced midfielder Mutassim Al-Musrati, who missed the game against Panathinaikos last time out through injury.

Bruma has been a standout performer for Os Arcebispos this season and the 28-year-old midfielder, who has six goal involvements in six games across all competitions, will certainly be one to look out for.

Meanwhile, Sporting Lisbon remain without Dutch defender Jeremiah St. Juste, who has been out of action since April's Europa League clash against Juventus through a muscle injury.

With his winner against Famalicao, Paulinho has now scored four goals in the first three games this season and we expect the Portuguese forward to spearhead the visitors' attack.

The 30-year-old should be joined in the final third by former Coventry City man Viktor Gyokeres and Portuguese playmaker Pedro Goncalves, who netted 15 goals and provided 11 assists last season.


Braga possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Gomez, Fonte, Saatci, Marin; Carvalho, A Horta; Lopes, Pizzi, Bruma; Ruiz

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Adan; Diomande, Coates, Inacio; Catamo, Braganca, Morita, Santos; Goncalves, Gyoekeres, Paulinho


SM words green background

We say: Braga 1-2 Sporting Lisbon

Braga and Sporting Lisbon have both put together a fine run of form to start the season and we anticipate an end-to-end affair at the Estadio Braga Municipal. Amorim's side have won each of their last three Primeira Liga away games and we fancy them snatching all three points in this one.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Braga vs Sporting Lisbon

Braga
25.9%
Draw
3.7%
Sporting Lisbon
70.4%
27
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rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sporting Lisbon1111003953433
2Porto119022882027
3Benfica108112872125
4Santa ClaraSanta Clara117041412221
5Braga116231911820
6Vitoria de GuimaraesGuimaraes115331211118
7FamalicaoFamalicao11452129317
8MoreirenseMoreirense115241514117
9Casa Pia113441014-413
10Rio AveRio Ave113351020-1012
11Gil Vicente112451419-510
12Estoril PraiaEstoril11245816-810
13AVS11245919-1010
14BoavistaBoavista11236715-89
15Estrela Amadora112361020-109
16Nacional10226615-98
17AroucaArouca11227619-138
18SC FarenseFarense11128518-135


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