Both Braga and Sporting will be pleased, if not overjoyed with their starts to the new Primeira Liga season.
Sitting third and fourth respectively, each side has taken 10 points from their opening four games. However, with Benfica and reigning champions Porto also getting off to fast starts, the title race in Portugal’s top tier could be another exciting heat.
888Sport make Braga their 7/5 (2.40) favourites for Monday’s clash. Meanwhile, the visitors – who have made plenty of headlines for the wrong reasons in recent months – can be backed at 33/20 (2.65) and the draw is 11/5 (3.20).
The odds would suggest this is a tough game to call in terms of the match result, so more value may be found elsewhere in the markets.
Given how competitive this division is, it’s understandable that neither team will want to give anything away in the early stages.
Recent head-to-head meetings have often been much more entertaining after half time and that could be an angle for punters to pick upon.
The game to be a draw at half time is 11/10 (2.10) but a better bet is taking the 27/25 (2.08) about over 1.5 second half goals with 888Sport.
The last six games between these sides have seen just five first half goals but 15 scored after the break. Given that the second half has been the highest scoring in five of those – the other seeing two goals either side of the interval – backing more late drama looks a sensible selection.
This bet would have paid out in three of Braga’s first four league games so far this season and Sporting’s clash with Benfica a month ago followed a similar pattern. That contest was 0-0 at half time and finished 1-1 thanks to goals from Nani and Joao Felix.
Both teams to score in the second half is 43/20 (3.15) and that could be worth a smaller stake bet but over 1.5 goals after the break should be the main selection at 27/25 (2.08).
Over 1.5 second half goals at 27/25 (2.08) for a 1pt stake with 888Sport
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