Kicking off their Taca de Portugal campaign, Sporting Lisbon will be looking to avoid a major upset when they travel to face CD Olivais e Moscavide in the third round at Estadio Alfredo Marques Augusto on Saturday night.
The hosts have navigated the opening two rounds of this competition admirably to earn a tasty-looking clash with a Portuguese giant who currently lead the way in the Primeira Liga.
Match preview
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CD Olivais e Moscavide are among some of Portugal's big hitters after successfully plotting their way through the first two rounds of this season's Taca de Portugal, earning back-to-back wins on the road to book an unlikely spot in round three.
Last time out saw CD Olivais travel to Os Sandinenses, with a third-minute goal from Itallo Phillipe setting the visitors on their way to victory, before Evenilton and Sandro Martinho added second-half strikes to secure a resounding 3-1 success.
Saturday's hosts currently ply their trade in the Lisbon regional leagues and will be overwhelming underdogs for their third-round clash this weekend, with the club's chairman Goncalo Candeias simply urging supporters to 'enjoy the moment' against a giant of the Portuguese game.
The Muscavites have experience of facing off against Friday's visitors, and the current crop of players had a visit in the build-up to this contest from three players who turned out for the Olivais in the 1995 quarter-final edition of this fixture - a game which Sporting won 6-1.
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Sporting head towards a romantic clash with their Lisbon neighbours following an ominous start to their Primeira Liga season, with the league leaders extending their unbeaten run at the start of the campaign to eight matches with a hard-fought win over Arouca before the international break.
Ruben Amorim's side were in full flight and control of the proceedings when Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring in the 31st minute, but the dismissal of Ousmane Diomande just before half time offered the visitors a route back into the game - one which they took courtesy of a Rafa Mujica strike - but midfielder Hidemasa Morita scored in the second half to secure a seventh win of the term for the Lions.
Having collected an impressive 22 points from their first eight league matches, Sporting sit top of the Primeira Liga pile as the only outfit in the division who are yet to taste defeat, with the club's only loss in any form so far coming during the visit of Serie A side Atalanta BC on gameweek two of the Europa League.
The Lions made a number of notable signings in the summer including the likes of Ivan Fresneda from Real Valladolid and the permanent acquisition of Barcelona winger Trincao following a 52-game loan spell last term, but the arrival of towering Swede Gyokeres has been the pick of the bunch so far, with the former Coventry City man netting six times in seven league outings.
Sporting have lifted the Taca de Portugal crown 17 times since the birth of the competition's current format in 1939, with only fellow Portuguese giants Benfica and Porto having won the tournament on more occasions than Amorim's charges.
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Team News
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CD Olivais are expected to name a similar side to the one which eased past Os Sadinenses in the previous round, with the hosts set to select a full-strength XI as they play the biggest match in their recent history.
Attacker Phillipe made the net ripple early on during the second-round success on the road, and the forward could provide the lower-league club with some threat on the break.
Sporting will rotate their side heavily as they make the short journey to face fifth-tier opposition, although summer signing Trincao is currently sidelined due to a muscle injury and will not be risked.
Centre-back Jerry St Juste has not featured for the Lions since their 1-0 defeat to Juventus in the knockout stages of the Europa League in April, and the 27-year-old remains a doubt for Saturday night.
With Amorim set to hand some of his fringe players rare starts, the likes of Geny Catamo and Paulinho may be tasked with firing the goals in for the top-tier visitors in this one.
CD Olivais e Moscavide possible starting lineup:
Matos; Rocha, Freitas, Silva, Cabete; Phillipe, Joshua, Marques, Martinho; Varela, Pereira
Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Adan; Neto, Coates, Inacio; Quaresma, Braganca, Morita, Santos; Edwards, Paulinho, Gyokeres
We say: CD Olivais e Moscavide 0-5 Sporting Lisbon
CD Olivais have done remarkably to book their spot in the third round and anything more will be a brilliant bonus for a side who will return to the harsh realities of fifth-tier football next week.
Sporting have been invincible in the Primeira Liga so far this term, and any combination of 11 starters from the Lions squad will be good enough to produce a comfortable victory on Saturday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
