Nacional Madeira vs Sporting Braga Preview 12/04/2023

Nacional Madeira vs Sporting Braga – 12/04/2023

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CD Nacional and Sporting Braga will clash in the Taca de Portugal this Wednesday evening with the LigaPro side set to welcome the Primeira Liga outfit to the Madeira Stadium with both sides in completely contrasting areas of the Portuguese pyramid.

Ahead of this two-legged affair, Braga are heading into the game off the back of one of their best seasons this century as they sit in third and have seemingly broken the Big Three stranglehold on Portuguese football with them now five ahead of Sporting Lisbon in fourth.

At the same time, Braga have now won 20 times and lost only five in the league with them conceding just 24 times and also head into the game as the second highest scoring side in the league with 60 netted of their own – only Benfica at the top of the table have scored more.

The club also defeated Estoril Praia last time out in a 4-1 hammering on home soil, as Abel Ruiz scored before three late goals from Pizzi, Joe Mendes and Iuri Medeiros.

Last time out in the Taca de Portugal, Braga edged past the league leaders Benfica on penalties. Al-Musrati scored that day before two red cards for Benfica handed Braga the advantage, as they eventually sealed the deal in a 5-4 shootout win.

As for Nacional, their woes have continued into April as they have let in seven goals and not scored one of their own in the past two games since the international break.

Vilafranquense beat them 4-0 before a 3-0 home defeat to UD Oliveirense which now puts the club down in 15th and in one of their worst spots in recent memory.

In fact, after losing 2-0 at home to Moreirense before the international break and drawing 2-2 with Trofense as well, it now means the club’s last win came over a month ago to SC Covilha.

Nacional are now just two points above B-SAD in the fight to stay out of the bottom three, with Trofense in 17th only five adrift of them too. The LigaPro strugglers have still managed to defeat Casa Pia 5-2 away from home in the Taca de Portugal, as they also edged past Rabo Peixe 1-0 in the round of 16.

Forebet predicts a win for Braga and for the game to see under 2.5 goals with the Primeira Liga side simply looking too good for a team struggling in the league below.