Nacional – Braga SOCCER PICKS
Nacional and Sporting Braga meet at Estádio da Madeira, in a match for the 18th round of the Primeira Liga. Sporting Braga won at home by (4-2) the last time they met in this edition of the league, on 08-08-2018. The record of direct confrontations in this stadium is favorable to the visiting team, which in the last 3 matches won 1 and tied 2. but the last time these two teams met in this stadium was on 07-01-2017, for the Primeira Liga, which ended in a draw by (0-0).
National:
After 5 wins, 4 draws and 8 losses, the home team is currently in the 12 th position of the league, with 19 points won. In their last match, they lost in a home match against Belenenses by (0-1), after in the previous match they lost (3-1) outside, in a match against Porto. For the championship, Nacional won 10 points out of 27 possible points, after 3 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses in the last 9 home matches. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their home matches there is a tendency for few goals, since 5 of the last 9 matches for this competition have ended with Under 1,5 goals. In 17 matches in this competition, he never got the comeback in the 9 games in which he suffered the first goal. There is 1 period that stands out in the last 12 home matches for all competitions: they have scored 4 of their 10 goals between minutes (0′-15 ‘).
At home, for this competition, until the last match, the National had a sequence of good results, because he had not lost any of the 4 games played until then in his stadium. However, on the last day he suffered a 0-1 defeat against a Belenenses SAD who is making an excellent championship. On the other hand, in the last 5 games played in their stadium, only for once they suffered goals and it was in the last game that they suffered a defeat. This is a team that scores goals regularly and the Honduran Rochez stands out, with 8 goals scored in this competition. It is a team that does not score many goals, but has 30 goals suffered, is in a relatively comfortable position in the championship, occupying the 12th position. It should be remembered, too, that the National did not contest any match this week and, for that reason, will be physically more prepared than his opponent for this first day of the second half of the championship.
Sporting Braga:
After 11 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses, the away team is currently in the 3 rd position, with 37 points won. In their last match, they tied in an away match against Portimonense by (1-1), after in the previous match they won at home, in a match against Boavista, by (1-0). In the last match they played, for the Taça de Portugal, they beat the Desportivo Aves out by (1-2). In the last 8 away league matches Sporting Braga has a record of 3 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses, so they have won 12 points out of 24 possible. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 9 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In 17 matches in this tournament, they have conceded the first goal 5 times and have only won 1 result.
This is a game of extreme importance for Sporting de Braga, it is forbidden to lose more points, if you want to fight to the end for the title of national champion this season. The Braga comes to this game after a complicated match half of the week, for the Portuguese Cup, against the Desportivo das Aves. So the accumulated fatigue may reveal a key factor for the outcome of this game. In addition, the Choupana is a demanding field, which often conditions the teams that play a more elaborate football, as is the case of Sporting de Braga. Coach Abel normally prefers the 4-4-2, having in Dyego Sousa his best score, being also the best score of the Portuguese championship so far. We hope, therefore, an offensive but calculating Braga, in search of an early goal, which gives some tranquility and cause less physical wear throughout the game.
