Santa Clara vs Sporting Prediction and Betting Tips | December 18th 2025

Santa Clara will host defending champions Sporting at the Estádio de São Miguel in the fifth round of the Taca de Portugal on Thursday. The hosts were eliminated from the fifth round last season and will look to improve upon that record.

Os Açorianos met Braga in the Primeira Liga on Monday and suffered a 1-0 away defeat, ending their unbeaten streak after three games. They overcame fourth-tier side Comércio e Indústria in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal last month.

Leões recorded their first win of the month last week with a 6-0 home triumph over AVS in the Primeira Liga. Luis Javier Suárez, Geny Catamo, and Maximiliano Araújo bagged braces in that win. They defeated Marinhense 3-0 in the previous round of the Taca de Portugal.

Santa Clara vs Sporting Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

• The two teams have crossed paths 21 times in all competitions. As expected, the capital club have the lead in the head-to-head record with 17 wins. The hosts have two wins, and two games have ended in draws.
• They met in the Taca de Portugal fifth round last season as well, and Leões recorded a 2-1 win after extra time.
• The hosts have scored one goal apiece in three of their last four meetings against the defending champions.
• Sporting have scored exactly one goal each in three of their last four away games.
• Santa Clara have won three of their last four home games in all competitions, while also keeping clean sheets.
• Nine of the last 11 meetings between the two teams have produced over 2.5 goals.
• The defending champions have scored exactly two goals in four of their last five away meetings against the hosts.

Santa Clara vs Sporting Prediction

Os Açorianos failed to score for the first time in five games in their loss on Monday, and they will look to return to goalscoring ways in this home game. They have won three of their last eight games in all competitions, with all coming at home. Notably, they have made it to the quarterfinals of the Taca de Portugal just twice thus far.

Vinicius Lopes, their top scorer, is a major doubt for the hosts. Matheus Pereira faces a late fitness test and might start from the bench.

Leões kept their first clean sheet in three games last week. They have scored exactly three goals apiece in their last three games in the Taca de Portugal and will look to build on that form.

Pedro Gonçalves, Nuno Santos, Geovany Quenda, and Zeno Debast are sidelined with injuries for the defending champions. Geny Catamo and Ousmane Diomande have left the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The visitors have a good record in this fixture and should be able to secure a comfortable win.

Prediction: Santa Clara 1-3 Sporting

Santa Clara vs Sporting Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result - Sporting to win

Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals

Tip 3: Both teams to score - Yes

Tip 4: At least one goal to be scored in the second half - Yes

Edited by Shubham Dupare