FC Porto vs S.L. Benfica: a Decisive Penalty

The draw brought together two of the most seasoned Portuguese clubs at the 1/8 stage of the National Cup final. Bookmakers consider the Dragons to be the much-fancied team. At the same time, both opponents approached the principal match in good form. We expect a high-quality but a few-scoring game.

After the embarrassing defeat by Atletico in the Champions League, this failure deprived the Dragons of the right to play in the playoffs of the most prestigious tournament in the Old World. After that, Porto played three home matches. In the Portuguese Cup, the Dragons had a close win over Rio Ave and Braga and Vizela. It should be noted that after the loss to Atletico, Porto did not concede. Due to the undefeated streak, Porto continues to lead the standings ahead of Sporting. Porto's home statistics in the Primeira Liga are the best in the division, with seven wins in seven matchups.

Benfica lost the important home match. The Eagles lost 1:3 in the derby to Sporting on the third of December. Unlike Porto, Benfica, having outplayed Dynamo Kyiv, secured the Champions League playoffs. Moreover, the Reds have an excellent chance to break into the top eight because the Dutch Ajax will be their first opponent in the playoffs. After a confident victory over Lucescu's team, the Glorious One defeated Covilhã in the Portuguese Cup. They thrashed Famalicão and Marítimo in the championship. In general, in these three matches, Benfica scored 14 goals against their opponents, i.e. 4.67 on average per game. Benfica has the best statistics in the national championship on the road, +7=1-0, 25:4 goal difference.

Even though Porto and Benfica perform excellently at home, we believe that the upcoming meeting will not be abundant in goals. Recently, the Dragons and the Eagles confrontation has not scored much. The last three games between our teams ended up with a total under. Worth noting that the upcoming cup meeting, which also increases the chances of a fewer shots outcome. We prefer to take the side of Benfica since it is playing away. In terms of motivation, the superiority belongs to the visiting team who want satisfaction in a victory over another principled opponent. We will also not be surprised if a penalty shootout decides the fate of the ticket to the quarterfinals. The followed betting options are available:

• W1 for 2.10
• Total Under (2,5) for 1.92
• Shootout - YES for 2.255