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The upcoming Taca da Liga game features Tondela against Sporting Lisbon at Estadio Joao Cardoso on Saturday evening.
Sporting are expected to advance to the semi-finals, needing just one point, while Tondela has a slim chance to progress if they win by a two-goal margin.
Tondela has performed well in the tournament but faces a tough challenge against the Primeira Liga leaders to secure a spot in the final four.
Sporting has already defeated cSanta Clara and Vitoria de Guimaraes in earlier rounds to reach the group stage. While Tondela is still competing in the Taca de Portugal, their league performance has been less impressive, currently sitting in eighth plae, trailing by nine points from the top three.
Despite the odds, Tondela remains hopeful, especially with the likelihood of Sporting rotating their squad for this match. An early goal for the home team could add an interesting twist to the game.
In the meantime, Sporting aims to capitalize on the chance to give some of their players a rest after a tough series of fixtures in both league and European competitions. They recently secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Porto, maintaining their lead in the league, just ahead of reigning champions Benfica.
Their spot in the Europa League knockout stages was confirmed with 11 points, securing second place in the group behind Atalanta. Sporting's earlier game in this competition resulted in a 4-2 win against Farense, marked by Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick and a goal from Nuno Santos.
In recent encounters, Sporting has dominated, winning the last five matches against their opponents since June 2020, scoring 12 goals while conceding only one.
Iuri Miguel's absence due to a knee injury means Ricardo Silva will likely continue as the goalkeeper. Roberto Rodrigo, who scored in the recent match against Benfica II, is set to lead the attack alongside Rui Gomes.
Sporting has a relatively minor injury concern with Jerry St Juste, who is expected to be sidelined until the end of January.
For their upcoming match, Francisco Trincao and Paulinho are anticipated to join Gyokeres in the attacking lineup, while Goncalo Inacio and Daniel Braganca should form the central midfield partnership.
The home team has had varying results in their league matches this season and aims for better fortune in the upcoming cup competition. In their group opener in September, they suffered a 1-0 defeat against 10-man Farense, conceding early and missing several chances to equalize.
Sporting, on the other hand, is in good form in the Primeira Liga and aims to replicate this success in the Taca da Liga. Their recent 4-2 victory over Farense, highlighted by Viktor Gyokeres' impressive hat-trick, positions them well in the tournament, leading Group C with three points.
The visitors require only a draw this Saturday to secure a spot in the tournament's semifinals, holding a perfect record thus far.
This upcoming match will be the 15th encounter between Tondela and Sporting. Tondela has won just twice in previous matchups, with Sporting claiming victory nine times and three draws. In their most recent meeting in April last year, Sporting emerged triumphant with a 3-1 win. Sporting has dominated recently, winning their last five games against Tondela. Tondela has struggled defensively, managing only one clean sheet in these 14 matchups. Notably, Tondela is yet to score a goal in this season's Taca da Liga, while Sporting leads Group C with four goals.
