Sporting Lisbon vs Vorskla Predictions

Sporting Lisbon have already guaranteed themselves a spot in the knockout stage of the Europa League along with Group E leaders Arsenal, but the Portuguese side could still finish top, despite the three point gap between the clubs, as long as they beat Vorskla and Arsenal lose at home to Qarabağ.

The hosts head into the game in the midst of a five game winning streak in all competitions, following their 4-1 destruction of Desportivo Aves in the Primeira Liga on Sunday. Sporting went behind to a Rodrigo Defendi strike in the seventeenth minute, but turned things around late in the half to lead 2-1 at the break, thanks to goals from Dost and then Nani. The second forty-five proved much more plain sailing for the hosts as Dost netted his brace in the forty-eighth minute and Diaby made it 4-1 just shy of the hour mark. Before that final goal Sporting had Acuña sent-off, but thankfully for the hosts it bared no effect on the end result and the hosts remain second in the table, two points behind Porto.

Vorskla sit fifth in the Ukrainian Premier League following Saturday’s narrow win away at Chornomorets, which ended a five game losing streak for Thursday’s hosts in all competitions. Chizhov scored the only goal of what turned out to be a tight and tense game in Odessa, but with 53% of the possession and more shots during the ninety minutes, the visitors just about deserved their victory.

Kulach handed Vorskla a tenth minute lead when the Ukrainians played host to Sporting in October, and it wasn’t until very late in the game that Sporting turned the match on its head. Montero looked to have rescued a point for Sporting with his ninetieth minute equaliser, but Sporting weren’t done there and Jovane Cabral popped up with a stoppage time winner. On the balance of play Sporting certainly deserved to win the game as they had 65% of the possession away from home, nine corners to the hosts none, and ten shots during the match to Vorskla’s four.

Cabral, Fernandes, and Diaby have all scored two goals each for Sporting in the Europa League this season and joint top score for the visitors. Vorskla have only scored four goals in their five group games and Kulach top scores with two goals for Thursday’s hosts. Sporting are the clear form favourites heading into the match, but the visitors have already qualified and can rest players if they so wish, while they still have pride to play for and won’t want to finish bottom of the group.

We’re confident that Sporting will win and that over 2.5 goals will be scored in the process, with the final score ending 3-1 to the visitors. Sporting are unbeaten in seven matches, the last five of which have all ended in victory and will want to continue their momentum on Thursday. Vorskla have lost four of their five group games so far, conceding ten goals and only scoring four, and have nothing to play for but pride.