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

O Maior das Ilhas, in contrast, have lost their opening two games of the cup campaign and will set out to end a run of four consecutive games without a win across all competitions.

Match preview

Sporting Lisbon could not have hoped for a better start to their Taca da Liga title defence as they currently sit top of Group B after picking up six points from the opening two games.

The Leoes kicked off their campaign with a resounding 6-0 home victory over Farense on November 30, when goals from Pedro Goncalves, Arthur Gomes, Mateus Fernandes, Marcus Edwards and a brace from Paulinho put the Segunda Liga outfit to the sword.

Ruben Amorim's men backed up their opening-day victory with another show of class one week later when they secured a 2-0 victory over a dogged Rio Ave side at the Estadio dos Arcos thanks to a 62nd-minute effort from Goncalo Inacio and Emmanuel Boateng's 73rd-minute own goal.

Sporting Lisbon have now won each of their last four outings across all competitions, including successive wins over Vitoria de Guimaraes and Famalicao in the Primeira Liga, where they are currently fourth in the league table.

The 19-time Portuguese champions now return home, where they have won eight of their last nine matches since April, with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Chaves on August 27 being the only exception.

Midway through the 2022-24 campaign, Maritimo find themselves scrambling for points at the bottom of the Primeira Liga standings and also on the brink of a sixth group-stage exit since reaching the 2015-16 final.

O Maior das Ilhas failed to get their cup campaign back on track last Wednesday when they suffered a 2-0 loss against Farense courtesy of a brace from Brazilian forward Pedro Henrique.

Prior to that, Joao Henriques's men suffered a 1-0 defeat to Vitoria de Guimaraes in their final league outings before the World Cup break on November 13, before a similar 1-0 defeat at the hands of Rio Ave in their Taca da Liga opener three weeks later.

Maritimo, who have now picked up one draw and lost three of their last four matches across all competitions, are currently 17th in the Primeira Liga table, five points away from Famalicao just outside the relegation zone.

While they will be looking to end their winless run and bow out of the cup on a high, next up is the stern challenge of taking on a Sporting Lisbon side who are unbeaten in 18 of the last 20 meetings between the teams, claiming 13 wins and five draws since August 2010.

Sporting Lisbon Taca da Liga form:

W

W

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

L

L

W

W

W

W

Maritimo Taca da Liga form:

L

L

Maritimo form (all competitions):

D

W

D

L

L

L

Team News

Spanish youngster Jose Marsa has been rock-solid at the heart of the back three in the two cup matches and we expect the 20-year-old to retain his starting role, alongside Matheus Reis and Inacio.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Paulinho has registered six goal involvements in his last seven matches and the 30-year-old should spearhead the Leoes attack for the sixth game on the spin.

He should be joined in the final third by Francisco Trincao and English winger Edwards, while Nuno Santos, Goncalves, Dario Essugo and Pedro Porro should handle business at the centre of the park.

On the injury front, Sporting Lisbon will have to cope without the duo of Daniel Braganca and Luis Neto, who are currently recuperating from cruciate ligament and knee injuries respectively.

As for Maritimo, they will take to the pitch without Venezuelan forward Jesus Ramirez, who is set to serve the second of his three-game ban for picking up a straight red against Rio Ave on December 1.

In his absence, Sporting Cristal Percy Liza should lead the attack once again, while Matheus Costa and 34-year-old Zainadine Junior should form the centre-back pairing once again.

Maritimo will also be without several key players down the spine of the team as the likes of Geny Catamo, Rafael Brito, Moises Mosquera and Pedro Teixeira all continue their spells on the sidelines.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Adan; Inacio, Marsa, Reis; Santos, Goncalves, Essugo, Porro; Trincao, Edwards, Paulinho

Maritimo possible starting lineup:

Trmal; Mota, Junior, Costa, Costa; Brito, Afonso; Sousa, Vega, Vidigal; Liza

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Maritimo

While Maritimo will be looking to end their winless run, they take on a Sporting Lisbon side who are currently firing on all cylinders. Amorim's side have enjoyed a superb cup campaign so far and we are backing them to extend their dominance over the visitors.

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