Nacional vs Alverca — Tips & Analysis

Under 2.5: Neither of these sides can score, and that is the heart of this one. Only 3 of Nacional's last 15 games have had 3 or more goals, and their games average just over 2 goals in total. At home they have won four of seven, scoring just over a goal a game and letting in under one. Alverca give even less on the road. They are still looking for a first win, and they sit second bottom on two points from five. They have won one of six away trips, and they barely score on the road. They are missing Sabit Abdulai and Julian Martinez, so the attack is thinner again. The two clubs have only met twice, and those games finished 1-0 and 0-1. Nacional are on a three game losing run and have lost Ulisses and Leo Santos at the back. Neither side will want to open this up. A 1-0 home win is the likeliest finish, which is exactly the kind of quiet night we want. The warning is Alverca's own games. Seven of their last 13 have had 3 or more goals, and their matches average close to 3 goals in total, so they are not always this dull. Nacional have also been outplayed badly in recent weeks, so a clean sheet is far from certain. We still expect a low scoring game in Funchal.