No goal festival in Amsterdam for a change?
On the last matchday in Group C, Ajax Amsterdam welcome the men from Sporting Lisbon. The home side have completed an impeccable group phase and sit at the top of the table with only wins. The ticket for the play-offs has long since been punched and the same applies to the visitors from Portugal.
The order at the top of the table can no longer change either, which is why, from a sporting point of view, nothing is at stake in the encounter. For the match at the Johan Cruyff Arena between Ajax Amsterdam and Sporting Lisbon, the forecast does not include more than three goals.
Spectators are not allowed in the Netherlands due to the Corona situation.
Ajax Amsterdam – Statistics & current form
The 1995 Champions League winners claimed an emphatic 5-1 win over Sporting in the first leg and the match-winner was Sebastien Haller. The French-born player, who wears the shirt of the Ivory Coast national team, contributed no less than four goals to coach Erik ten Hag’s side.
With a total of nine goals, the former Eintracht Frankfurt player leads the scoring charts in the top flight – together with Robert Lewandowski of FC Bayern München. However, with nothing left to play for, it is to be expected that the top striker will only come off the bench this time or possibly be spared completely. The fact that he missed the penultimate matchday in the domestic Eredivisie due to an injury also speaks in favour of this.
Ajax are also in first place in the Eredivisie
In the national league, things are going just as well for the 35-time champions of the country. After 15 rounds of matches, they are already in first place again and their offence is the measure of all things with an average of more than three own goals per league match.
Due to the starting position of the next match, however, no offensive fireworks can be expected this time, which is why the odds on a maximum of two goals by the home side in the clash between Ajax Amsterdam and Sporting Lisbon are also of interest.
Predicted line-up of Ajax Amsterdam:
Pasveer – Blind – Martinez – Timber – Mazraoui – Klaassen – Alvarez – Gravenberch – Antony – Tadic – Neres
Last matches played by Ajax Amsterdam:
Eredivisie
12/02 2021 – Ajax Amsterdam 5 – 0 Willem II Tilburg
11/28 2021 – Sparta Rotterdam 0 – 1 Ajax Amsterdam
Champions League Grp. C
11/24 2021 – Beşiktaş 1 – 2 Ajax Amsterdam
Eredivisie
11/21 2021 – RKC Waalwijk 0 – 5 Ajax Amsterdam
11/07 2021 – Ajax Amsterdam 0 – 0 Go Ahead Eagles
Sporting Lisbon – Statistics & current form
The Green and Whites won the championship in Portugal for the first time in 19 years last season and now Lisbon have made the play-offs in the top flight for the first time in their history.
An achievement that could not have been foreseen at the start of the competition. The Portuguese started with a defeat against their upcoming opponents and were then beaten by BVB. After that, however, things started to look up: two wins against Besiktas and a success against the black-and-yellow team on the last matchday earned the Portuguese champions a ticket to the play-offs.
Goncalves is in great form
The 1964 European Cup Winners’ Cup winners can currently rely on Pedro Goncalves in particular on the offensive. The 23-year-old Portuguese has delivered a brace in each of the last two rounds of matches and has scored in four of the past six competitive games for the 19-time national title holders.
In addition, Goncalves is currently successful as a provider of assists. In the last three games in the top flight and in Portugal’s domestic league, last season’s top scorer always set up a goal for his team-mates.
This also included the dress rehearsal last Friday evening. In the top match against Benfica, coach Ruben Amorim’s team scored a 3:1 away victory. Thanks to the victory, the “Leões” have increased the gap to their rivals in the championship race and are level on points with Porto at the top of the table. They also have no defeats after 13 rounds of play (11-2-0).
Sporting also with only a B team?
As with their opponents, however, it is to be expected that some regulars will get a breather, which makes the betting odds on a clean sheet for the home side even more attractive in the clash between Ajax and Sporting.
Predicted line-up of Sporting Lisbon:
Adan – Inacio – Neto – Feddal – Reis – Matheus – Ugarte – Porro – Paulinho – Pedro Goncalves – Sarabia
Last matches played by Sporting Lisbon:
Liga Portugal
12/03 2021 – Benfica 1 – 3 Sporting CP
11/28 2021 – Sporting CP 2 – 0 Tondela
Champions League Grp. C
11/24 2021 – Sporting CP 3 – 1 Borussia Dortmund
Cup
11/18 2021 – Sporting CP 2 – 1 Varzim
Liga Portugal
11/07 2021 – Pacos de Ferreira 0 – 2 Sporting CP
Ajax Amsterdam – Sporting Lisbon Direct comparison / H2H record
So far, the teams have faced each other three times. The “Verde e brancos” achieved two victories in the UEFA Cup in the 1988/89 season and the most recent encounter took place just three months ago. In that match, the Dutch record champions won 5:1 at the Estádio José Alvalade.
For the upcoming edition of Ajax Amsterdam vs Sporting Lisbon, the odds are clearly leaning towards another Dutch victory.
Ajax Amsterdam – Sporting Lisbon Tip
The three meetings so far have always been high-scoring: no less than an average of five goals were scored in the duels. This time, however, a less entertaining match can be expected. Both teams are already qualified for the play-offs and the home side can no longer be denied first place in the group.
For the match between Ajax Amsterdam and Sporting Lisbon, the tip therefore aims for a maximum of three goals by the final whistle. The prediction is supported by the fact that no spectators are allowed, which will certainly not increase the motivation on either side.
In addition, it is to be expected that the opponents will not be in their best line-up, which means that the teams’ flow of play will not be observed in the usual form. Top strikers such as Haller on the side of the “Godenzonen” or Goncalves on the side of the visitors will probably equally not be involved.
Another factor that speaks for a low-scoring evening in the Johan Cruijff Arena. Bwin offers odds of 1.57 on the clash between Ajax Amsterdam and Sporting Lisbon.
