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Liga NOS Matchday 5 Odds & Picks: Value in Benfica, Porto & Sporting Matches

Carlos Verde

by Carlos Verde in Soccer News

Updated Apr 9, 2020 · 1:30 PM PDT

Benfica
Benfica are huge favorites this weekend at home to Gil Vicente. Photo By @slbenfica_en (Twitter)
  • Benfica (-714) are an automatic at home against Gil Vicente (+2000)
  • Porto (-227) faces tricky test away to Portimonense (+540), a team that has already claimed two Big Three scalps at home last season
  • Boavista (+330) could offer value at home against Sporting (-128), which just fired its manager

Portugal’s Primeira Liga returns this Friday for Matchday 5, as the big three face very different challenges against teams further down the Portuguese game’s pecking order.

Benfica face newly-promoted Gil Vicente, who have already claimed a major scalp in Porto this season, though the safe surroundings of the Estadio da Luz at least historically protect the Eagles from any possibility of an upset.

Porto travels south to face Portimonense in what could be considered a trap game; while the Dragons have a far-superior squad, they were the only Big Three club that didn’t lose in Portimao last season.

Boavista is off to a relatively hot start (2-2-0) in 2019-20, and hosts a Sporting side reeling from an ugly home loss to Rio Ave and with a newly-installed manager Leonel Pontes.

Benfica vs Gil Vicente Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Benfica -2.5 (-114) -714 O 3 (-119)
Gil Vicente +2.5 (-106) +2000 U 3 (-101)
Draw N/A +540 N/A

*All odds taken 09/11/10

Benfica (3-0-1) are still very much a title contender, and a 2-0 blip at home against fellow giants Porto aside — have thus far wiped the floor with their Liga NOS competition.

Gil Vicente (1-2-1) have put in credible performances under journeyman manager Vitor Oliveira in their return to the top flight, but should not pose any kind of threat to get a result at the Luz.

They may keep it close for a half, perhaps an hour, but expect Gil Vicente to wilt under the bright lights of Portugal’s largest stadium in front of an expectant Benfica crowd.

The hosts simply have a much stronger squad.

Pick: Benfica -2.5 (-114)

Portimonense vs. Porto Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Portimonense +1.5 (-119) +550 O 3 (-119)
Porto -1.5 (-101) -227 U 3 (-101)
Draw N/A +330 N/A

We know all about Sergio Conceicao’s Porto (3-0-1): They can create magic — as they did in their dominant rivalry win over Benfica — but also be capable of unbelievable lows, i.e. plummeting out of the Champions League against Krasnodar at home.

Portimonense (1-1-2) have dropped their past two outings after a promising start, and still seem to be searching for an identity.

Nonetheless, the trip to southern Portugal was calamitous for Sporting and Benfica last season and Porto could very well fall trap on Matchday 5.

Pick: Portimonense +1.5 (-119)

Boavista vs. Sporting Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Boavista +0.5 (-113) +350 O 2.5 (+102)
Sporting -0.5 (-107) -133 U 2.5 (-122)
Draw N/A +250 N/A

Make no mistake: Boavista have been good (2-2-0) to begin the season.

Also remember: Sporting (2-1-1) has been decent, with wins over Braga and Portimonense prior to last matchday’s shock 3-2 home defeat against Rio Ave.

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It’s odd, then, that the latter let manager Marcel Keizer go; yes, they’d been playing at mediocre level and the Rio Ave result was poor, but the Dutchman still delivered two trophies last season and had the team within a shout of the top early in the season.

Sporting will either go one of two ways: Players will be invigorated by the new manager, or question the decision to remove Keizer early in his project. Stay tuned to find out which.

Pick: Boavista +0.5 (-113)

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