Rio Ave v Sporting Lisbon Betting Tips [5 May 2021]

Sporting need seven points from the remaining four matches to clinch their first league title since 2002. They will be hoping for three when they travel to Vila do Conde to face Rio Ave. The hosts have 31 points, in 15th place while league leaders Sporting have 76 points heading to the game. Rio Ave are just two points above the relegation playoff spot and with no win in their last eight matches, they’ll need massive improvement here. In the last 11 matches, they have one win and scored more than a goal in just two of them. They’ve failed to score completely in seven. They are also winless in the last four home matches in the league and failed to score in three of them. However, they are unbeaten in the last four meetings with Sporting; the last two ended in 1-1 draws and they had two wins earlier.

Sporting strengthened their chase for the league title with a 2-0 win over Nacional in the last match and will be hoping to keep the six-point gap on Porto, or at least open it up more. That was their 12th win in the last 16 league matches and they are still unbeaten in the league. Sporting have three clean sheets in the last four matches and have failed to score in just one of their 30 league matches this season. They have scored more than one goal in just three of the last 10 league matches. In their last five away league matches, Sporting have not scored more than a goal and each of the four wins they’ve managed in the last six away games, have been with one goal margins.

Sporting are getting ever closer to the league title, but one thing about them is that they haven’t been big scorers in the season. They are however great defensively and facing a Rio Ave side that has also been goal-shy means we shouldn’t expect a lot of goals so go for under 2.5 goals.