Rakow vs Sporting CP prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2023-10-25 16:45.
After winning the Polish Ekstraklasa for the first time in club history last season, Raków Częstochowa’s reward was a first ever group stage appearance in European competition, though so far it hasn’t gone to plan. Both of their opening two UEFA Europa League (UEL) outings have ended in defeat, whilst they remain one of only four clubs yet to find the back of the net in the competition too.
The hosts are likely to find the going tough again here as they welcome Sporting Lisbon to town, one of the biggest sides they’ll have ever faced in competitive action. They’ll be hoping to cause a huge upset in their first outing against Portuguese opposition then and could rely on their home form for inspiration, after winning seven of their last ten here (D1, L2), albeit with both losses coming in European competition via a 1-0 scoreline.
Sitting top of the Liga Portugal standings after eight matches (W7, D1), Sporting remain undefeated domestically, though a 2-1 home loss to Atalanta on UEL matchday two has taken the shine off of their campaign slightly. A 2-1 comeback win against Sturm Graz in their UEL opener at least makes up for that as they look to qualify for the knockout stages of European competition for a third consecutive campaign.
That win in Austria also gives Sporting the chance to win back-to-back away matches in Europe for the first time since the 2009/10 campaign. Confidence ought to be high, even if they failed to win either of their two most recent away trips to Poland (D1, L1), as they remain unbeaten on the road this season (W4, D1).
Players to watch: Rakow’s Vladyslav Kochergin has scored five goals this season, with two of his last three coming after the 80th minute. Meanwhile, after netting in both of his UEL games to date, Viktor Gyökeres could become the first Sporting player since Liedson in 2003 to score in each of his first three major European matches for the club.
Hot stat: No side in the UEL group stages has had fewer corners (five) or shots (nine) than Rakow.