Portimonense SC vs Benfica Prediction: Alvinegros Will Be Competitive, But As Águias Will Be Ruthless!

Portimonense SC welcomes Benfica to the Estádio Municipal de Portimão for the 32nd round of the Primeira Liga with hopes of getting back to winning ways.

While Benfica have gone unbeaten in three away games when playing against Portimonense SC, will they be able to extend that run to four matches as they aim for a convincing victory, or will they be stopped in their tracks?

Let's have a look at the latest Portuguese Primeira Liga predictions between Portimonense SC vs Benfica, probable lineups, match facts and up to date betting odds for you to consider!

Portimonense SC

Form: DLWWD

The Alvinegros made the trip to Centro Desportivo Nacional do Jamor to lock horns with Casa Pia, and though they were on the verge of dropping three points, which wasn't the case, they managed to salvage a point in a 1:1 draw.

In that game, they appeared to be the most effective side in both halves of the game despite playing out a goalless first half up until they were trailing behind by a goal in the 68th minute of the second half, and they managed to put up a solid defense for the entirety of the game as they leaned on the tiniest hope they had of finding an equalizer, which they eventually did in the waning seconds of the game thanks to Honduran international Bryan Róchez's goal.

At the Estádio Municipal de Portimão, they have been more convincing with their performance compared to their erratic away form. They have recorded six wins, six losses, and three draws in their last 15 home games and can be counted on to be a competitive side in this encounter as they are well within their limits to do so given their average form when playing at home.

This season has been a fight for survival to stay in the top flight, which they have won as they have guaranteed themselves safety from the relegation zone, which they are 14 points ahead of as they presently occupy 13th place with 34 points.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 5-4-1

Nakamura; Moufi, Alemao, Henrique, Park, Relvas; Gomes, Mauricio, Carlinhos, Gonzalez; Junior

Benfica

Form: WWWLL

Faced with the challenging task of going up against Braga at home, there's no denying that they were the better side in terms of performance as they claimed a 1:0 victory courtesy of Rafa Silva's goal in the 67th minute that saw them bag a crucial three points.

Prior to that, they were faced with an arduous task on the road of being pitted against Gil Vicente, with the signs of a struggle too obvious to ignore as they couldn't breach their opponents defense for almost the entirety of the game, but it wasn't an issue that Chiquinho and Álex Grimaldo couldn't solve as two late second-half goals were scored by them to conclude the day with a hard-fought 2:0 victory.

Away from home, they have only lost two of their last 15 matches against Braga (3:0) and Chaves (1:0), and despite those losses, they have still performed superbly on the road, mainly owing to the twelve wins and a draw recorded to accumulate 37 points in the process. They can be confident in securing their fourth consecutive victory in this encounter against a side they have maintained overt superiority over in their previous meetings.

Their once 10-point lead at the summit has been narrowed down to 4 points due to losses against FC Porto and GD Chaves, which makes from now on anything other than a win an unfavorable outcome as this could harm their prospects of clinching this season's title, and with FC Porto in second place breathing down their necks, there will be no room for error with two games left. They presently occupy first place with 80 points.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Vlachodimos; Aursnes, Silva, Verissimo, Grimaldo; Neves, Chiquinho; Mario, Silva, Neres; Ramos

Match Facts

• Portimonense SC have only won one of their last five Primeira Liga matches against Benfica.
• Benfica are currently on a two-match winning streak when playing away against Portimonense SC.
• Portimonense SC averages 0.87 goals per game when playing at home, and Benfica averages 1.8 goals per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

In the last 15 meetings, Portimonense SC has won twice, Benfica has won 10 times, and there have been 3 draws, with the goal difference being 32-14 in favor of Benfica.

Expert Betting Tips

Benfica have not been the same since their loss against FC Porto coupled with their elimination in the Champions League, as they've shown unsteadiness with their performance despite getting the job done to secure victories that, in some people's eyes, were a bit shaky. However, that shouldn't deter them from recording a convincing victory away on the road, taking into account that they have won 12 of their last 15 road matches thus far.

Portimonense SC will undoubtedly have a difficult time trying to exploit a Benfica defense that has been solid, keeping seven clean sheets in their last eight away matches, and their prospects of securing all three points here seem unlikely, making a convincing loss undoubtedly on the cards.

Benfica are overwhelming favorites in this matchup given the overt superiority they've had over their opponent in this fixture, winning six of their last eight meetings, and another win for the Eagles is to be expected here. However, they are at an unappealing price in the full-time market, as such, pick them to win convincingly in the Asian handicap of -1.5.

• Handicap 2 (-1.5) for 1.70
• Both Teams To Score - No for 1.69
• Corners - Over 11 for 2.10