Home and Away: Hosts in with a Sporting chance of three points

11Feb 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner looks worldwide and picks two selections to kick start the week in style.

We're off to Portugal for our first pick of the week - and Sporting Braga look to get back to winning ways as they welcome Pacos de Ferreira to the Estadio AXA.

Jose Peseiro's side go into this one from five home and away, but their form on their own patch is more impressive - and they have secured victories in four of their last five in front of their own fans.

Three clean sheets in that time suggests that Peseiro's side are solid enough defensively to hold out their guests, and the Arcebispos, who sit in fourth place, will be keen to pick up maximum points here in order to pile further pressure on the top three.

The visitors sit one points above the home side in the table, but their form on the road has taken a blip of late - and they have lost two of their last three away from Mata Real.

A 5-0 win against whipping boys Moreirense will have boosted confidence in the Pacos de Ferreira camp, but in the bigger picture Paulo Fonseca's side have won just four from 11 on the road, and I think that could be telling this evening.

There has been much talk in Portugal of the pressure heaped on the away side in this clash - and Fonseca has been keen to play that down of late, even though his side will be without influential midfielder Andre Leon, and defender Nuno Santos today.

History certainly favours the hosts, who go into this one having won seven of their last 11 meetings with Pacos de Ferreira, and they will be desperate to make the most of home advantage in this one.

Bet 1: Sporting Braga (HOME) @ 1.71

Over to Argentina now, and the second tier, as Gimnasia La Plata travel to Boca Unidos in the Primera B Nacional division, looking to stay unbeaten for the fifth time in seven outings.

The visitors did not get off to the start they would have liked following the winter break - a 1-0 loss at Sarmiento putting to an end two straight wins.

Pedro Troglio's side have secured four clean sheets from their last half a dozen outings, and that will have boosted confidence in the Estadio Juan Carmelo Zerillo side, who are looking to pile the pressure on the top three, who are just four points ahead.

Six unbeaten from nine on the road suggests that Los Triperos are more than capable of leaving the Estadio Jose Antonio Romero Feris with maximum points in this one, and they will be keen to put to an end an alarming run of three straight defeats away from home.

The hosts go into this one having won just one of their last five Primera B Nacional clashes, and just one clean sheet since September suggests that Claudio Ubeda's side are susceptible to conceding goals.

Sitting in 17th place in the table, the home side are just three points off the bottom, and could get dragged into the mire even further if they fail to secure a positive result in this one.

That will be worrying to Ubeda, who saw his side finish fifth in the division last campaign - and struggled to a 3-1 win over nine man Aldosivi last time out, with two goals in the last 10 minutes sparing his blushes.

The last time these two sides met, Gimnasia La Plata ran out comfortable 2-0 winners, and they will be looking for a repeat of that performance here.

Bet 2: Gimnasia La Plata (AWAY) @ 2.74