David Flower
Dailysports's expert
Sagrada Esperanca
Esperance
One of the matches of the second round of the CAF Champions League group stage will take place this Friday in Luanda, where the local side Sagrada will host Tunisia’s Esperance. We suggest a promising bet on the outcome of this clash.
Match preview
The “Diamond Boys” finished second in Angola’s Girabola last season, falling six points short of champions Petro Atletico. Nevertheless, this runner-up finish secured them a spot in the Champions League, where Sagrada successfully navigated the qualifiers to reach the group stage.
However, their group stage debut was a tough away encounter against Egypt’s Pyramids, ending in a heavy 1-5 defeat. Sagrada approaches the Esperance match following a 0-3 away loss in the domestic league against Sao Salvador. After 12 rounds, they sit sixth in the Girabola standings.
Meanwhile, Esperance reached last season’s Champions League final, where they fell to Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly over two legs. In qualifying for the new campaign, Esperance dominated Dekedda with a 4-1 away win and an 8-0 home triumph.
In their first group-stage match, the “Blood and Gold” dispatched Djoliba with a commanding 4-0 victory. Over the weekend, they secured another three points in the Tunisian league by defeating Omran 2-0 at home. Although they have lost only one domestic match, a string of draws sees them in fifth place.
Probable lineups
- Sagrada: Mutunda, Jacinto, Lomalisa, Tati, Mafuta, Nandji, Ngoy, Pimpaio, Mvila, Diallo, Teixeira
- Esperance: Ben Said, Meriah, Tougai, Jelassi, Ben Hamida, Aholou, Ouahabi, Tka, Derbali, Rodriguez, Beilajili
Match facts and head-to-head stats
- Over 2.5 goals were scored in three of Sagrada’s last five matches
- Esperance has conceded in only two of their last six games
- Over 2.5 goals occurred in just two of Esperance’s last eight fixtures
Prediction
The favorite in this matchup is clear. Bookmakers acknowledge this, pricing an Esperance victory at odds of 1.70. We recommend betting on an Esperance win.
