The managers Luís Freire and Ricardo Soares are both dreading and looking forward to this decisive game in the upper regions of the Segunda Liga league table.
We should expect both teams to be fresh and ready for this match, as there is some time since both teams last played. Let's have a look at how the teams are doing!
Nacional form and stats
3-2-0 (win-draw-lost) are the Segunda Liga numbers at home for Nacional so far this season.
Nacional drew their last game, 1-1 away at Feirense (placed 11th). Preceding that game was the home draw versus Varzim that ended 1-1.
The hosts are modest favourites in this match, with the bookmakers estimating the chance of a home win at about 50% +- five percent. It's interesting to look at how Nacional have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found eleven games) they have won 6 times, drawn 4 and lost 1.
With an average of more than two goals per home game in the league (10 in 5 games), Nacional's attacking play is working. From these home matches, Nacional have conceded only 3 goals.
Sporting Covilhã form and stats
Sporting Covilhã are yet to lose a point on their Segunda Liga travels this season with 3 wins from 3 away games. Having won their last three away games Sporting Covilhã has no reason to fear anyone.
Sporting Covilhã delivered a 0-0 draw playing at home against Penafiel (placed 10th) in their previous match; a Segunda Liga game. Before that, Sporting Covilhã secured a home win against Cova Piedade with the score 1-0.
Sporting Covilhã are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is 2 wins, 6 draws and 3 defeats. From a total of eleven matches.
Sporting Covilhã create on average more than 2,5 goals per away game (in the league) all by themselves, having scored 8 goals in 3 travels. Sporting Covilhã have conceded 3 goals in these away matches.
Head 2 Head
Head-2-head stats last two meetings: 1 - 1 - 0 (Nacional wins - draws - Sporting Covilhã wins). As for goals, 0 matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), 2 had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  B. Rochez 6 goals |  B. Riascos 5 goals |   Adriano Castanheira 4 goals |
Nacional missing players
Sporting Covilhã missing players
| Nacional | Sporting Covilhã | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 10 | 5 | 1 | Played | P | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | Won | W | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | 2 | 0 | Drew | D | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Lost | L | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | 10 | 3 | Scored | S | 3 | 8 | 14 |
| 8 | 3 | 0 | Conceded | C | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 90% | 80% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 88% |
| 80% | 80% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 100% | 62% |
| 50% | 60% | 100% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 100% | 67% | 38% |
| 10% | 20% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 100% | 67% | 38% |
| 10% | 20% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 100% | 33% | 25% |
| 70% | 60% | 0% | BTTS | BTTS | 100% | 67% | 38% |
| 20% | 40% | 100% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 33% | 62% |
| 20% | 20% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 0% | 12% |
| 3.8 | 3.6 | 3 | Corners For (avg) | C F | 0 | 2 | 3.2 |
| 6 | 4.6 | 6 | Corners Against (avg) | C A | 9 | 8.3 | 7 |
| 3.7 | 3.6 | 3 | Yellow Cards (avg) | Y C | 3 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Red Cards | R C | 0 | 1 | 2 |
- All of Sporting Covilhã's away-matches have had more than 1,5 goals.
- Nacional have not yet lost a game at home.
- Nacional have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Nacional have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded at home.
- Sporting Covilhã have conceded at least twice as many corners as they have won.
- Sporting Covilhã have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded.
- Sporting Covilhã have scored in all their away matches so far.
- Sporting Covilhã have won all their away games so far.
- Sporting Covilhã have won significantly less corners away then at home.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Farense | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 21 |
| 2 | Nacional | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 19 |
| 3 | Sporting Covilhã | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 19 |
| 4 | Estoril | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 18 |
| 5 | Leixoes | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 17 |
| 6 | Chaves | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 15 |
| 7 | Mafra | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| 8 | Varzim | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| 9 | Academico Viseu | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | -2 | 12 |
| 10 | Penafiel | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| 11 | Feirense | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 10 |
| 12 | Porto II | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 12 | -6 | 10 |
| 13 | Benfica II | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | -7 | 10 |
| 14 | Academica | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 9 |
| 15 | UD Oliveirense | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | -4 | 8 |
| 16 | Vilafranquense | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 10 | -6 | 7 |
| 17 | Casa Pia | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -6 | 7 |
| 18 | Cova Piedade | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 6 |