Football Bet of the Day: Santa Clara to trouble Benfica’s leaky defence

Saturday’s Football Bet of the Day see’s me delve into the Portuguese Primeira Liga and I like the look of goals at both ends in the capital.

Benfica vs Santa Clara

🇵🇹 Primeira Liga

⏰ Saturday 12th February, 18:00

Following their draw on Friday evening, Benfica will look to cut the gap on both Porto and Sporting CP, as they host Santa Clara at the Estádio da Luz. The hosts are now seven and 13 points behind the top-two respectively, whilst the visitors are 10th, just three points behind seventh-placed Estoril.

After successive defeats in the final of the Taça da Liga to city-rivals Sporting CP and in the league at home to Gil Vicente, Benfica returned to winning ways at Tondela last time out, winning 1-3. Coming into round 22, Benfica were the Primeira Liga’s top scorers, finding the back of the net on 56 occasions, failing to score just once. That late consolation for Tondela last time out means the Eagles have managed to keep just three clean sheets in their last 12 in the Primeira Liga, with two of those coming against the current bottom-three. Nélson Veríssimo’s side have conceded in eight of their 10 league matches at the Estádio da Luz this season, with their two shut-outs coming against two of the three lowest scorers in the division.

Despite taking the lead twice, Santa Clara failed to collect all three points in Barcelos last time out, as they drew 2-2 away to fifth-placed Gil Vicente. However, that draw now extends Os Açoreanos’s unbeaten run to five in the Primeira Liga , which includes a famous 3-2 win over reigning champions Sporting CP. Santa Clara have now found the back of the net in each of their last 10 in the league, scoring two or more in each of their last five. Mário Silva’s side have managed to keep just three clean sheets in the league this season, with just one of those coming on their travels.

Bet of the Day

In Benfica’s last home match, I highlighted their defensive vulnerabilities and I was indeed correct as they ended up losing 1-2 against Gil Vicente. This time out, they host a Santa Clara side that’s unbeaten in their last five in the league, scoring at least twice in all five of those. As well as scoring in each of their last 10 in the league, Os Açoreanos have scored in each of their last eight away and I fancy them to get on the scoresheet once again against a Benfica side that’s kept just three clean sheets in their last 12 in the Primeira Liga, as well as conceding in 8/10 at the Estádio da Luz. Benfica have scored in all bar-one of their 21 league games this season and with Santa Clara keeping just three clean sheets, it would be a major surprise if Nélson Veríssimo’s hosts didn’t get on the scoresheet themselves, therefore I’m happy to back both teams to score at a really good price.

• Benfica vs Santa Clara – Both Teams to Score
• Pays 11/10 (Various)

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