Sporting CP v CD TondelaWednesday April 29th, 2026
Estádio José Alvalade
Matchday 31
The warm up
The end of the lions Champions League campaign means we finally have a date for the fixture at home to Tondela which originally should have been sandwiched between the two ties away, then home to Bodø/Glimt before it was postponed. No surprise that FC Porto have in the interim led a campaign of wrong doing against the postponement. In the end after defeat to Benfica on Sunday they really needn't have bothered as the thin hopes of a three-peat were finally put to bed. As I write we're actually an hour away from kick off in the second round of the Taça de Portugal semi final and I'm trying to keep my mind occupied and off the thought of a trio of disastrous results. It's safe to assume the way the fixtures fell over the last three matches have not been kind and with AVS and Tondela up next, had those two games been interspersed between the three fixtures of Arsenal, Benfica and Porto we may have come out of the month in better shape than what we're currently facing. All being well by the time we're playing this we'll have at least beaten AVS whose relegation was confirmed last weekend and a win in this, the lions game in hand will see them leapfrog Benfica back into second and in better contention for a Champions League place.
Football really is the cruelest of mistresses. Two legs against Arsenal separated by one loss of concentration after the 90 minutes in the José Alvalade. The Dérbi seemingly won one minute by Nel, only to see the offside flag raised on the far side, then Benfica go up the other end and find the actual winner. We had Suárez’s missed penalty before they went 1-0 up, Geny hit the bar, Gonçalves hit the post. Sometimes you know it's just not meant to be. I'm hoping it's not the three-peat of a differing kind tonight. As expected the anti Rui Borges brigade came out of their hiding places on Sunday night. I'd at least have some respect if you were consistently criticising him even after they won which of course they never seem to do, can't think why, can you?
Good news, not only is the sun shining as I write but Sporting held Porto to a 0-0 draw last night to ensure their place in the Taça de Portugal final in Jamor at the end of May against either Torreense or AD Fafe who play tonight. So I can get on with the post at hand for opponents CD Tondela who at the time of writing find themselves fully embroiled in a relegation dog fight. A quick reminder that in the Portuguese top flight, the side who finish third bottom are not automatically relegated and instead go into a play off with the Liga 2 side finishing third and the winner will either avoid relegation or win promotion. Always seems harsh to me that one side can play so well for a campaign versus another who have a bad season and potentially the latter still benefit deepite their ineptitude over 180 minutes of football, but there you go.
With five games to play Tondela are currently second bottom, five points adrift of Casa Pia and seven off Estrela and Nacional who they play at home this Saturday. Catching either of those two seems a stretch however and they'll be hoping Braga do them a favour in beating Casa Pia in tonight's game. Their current record reads played 29, won 4, drawn 9, lost 16. GF 21, GA 48. They have scored the fewest number of goals in the league along with AVS but have at least conceded 16 fewer to date.
Their away record reads played 14, won 3, drawn 2, lost 9, GF 10, GA 29. Interesting that 75% of their wins have come away from home in their first season back in the top flight. Let's add AVS still haven't won away all campaign.
Of their 21 goals, 8 are from open play, 6 set pieces, 1 free kick and 6 penalties. They're massively underperforming their Xg of 34.2. Top scorer is Pedro Maranhão, also known as Henryque which is how I refer to him in the match updates below which I prepped earlier this afternoon when I should have been working. Don't tell my boss. He's got six goals, Maviram, Lopes, Cavaleiro and Bebeto all have 2. Seven others have contributed a goal apiece.
Their total goals conceded is the seventh worst record in the division at an average of 1.7 per game. You don't have to be a mathematical genius to work out when you score on average just 0.7 goals per game in comparison, that's why they're second bottom in the table. Forget their game against Sporting, their hopes really rest on beating Nacional on Saturday and Casa Pia away in the game that directly follows the one at the José Alvalade and if you were the Tondela mister you'd most likely field a weakened team against the lions and take the hit and hope your big guns fire you to three points a week later. Maybe that's wishful thinking on my part as a Sportinguista but it's what I'd do if I was in charge. As it stands though given those five points adrift they remain favourites to join AVS in Liga 2, meaning fellow promotion side Alverca will have enjoyed a far more fruitful season.
Five clean sheets in total a record they share with Estoril and Rio Ave and one more than AVS who have recorded the fewest. They average 3.4 shots on target per match which is exactly half what Sporting currently average with the leagues best record. Their shot conversion rate is 7.1% which again is roughly half of the lions rate. They have the sixth highest total of Opta defined big chances missed with 41 which is huge. I mean not as huge as the 61 Sporting have missed clearly but that's a phenomenal total to have actually created in the first place even if they've had no one to really put them away. I often write how precious goalscorers are in Portuguese football and those who don't follow the league often seem to think they're ten a penny and they're not. Tondela are also fashioning these chances despite making the fourth fewest passes on average per game.
They've shot themselves in the foot on quite a few occasions. Sounds quite familiar to be fair. They lost to Braga 1-0 at home from a Zalazar penalty scored on 90 plus 1. Previous to that they'd lost 1-0 to Vitória at home, coincidentally by a penalty in the same minute scored by Camara. They missed two penalties away to Nacional and played against ten men for most of the game but contrived to lose to goals scored on 90+8 and worse 90+14. There's 3 valuable points which would have had them only 2 points off Casa Pia. Even if you'd stuck just 5 or 6 of those 41 big chances away, if they'd come in the right games they'd have stood a real chance at staying up. As we've learned twice against Braga, once against Arsenal and one against Benfica, football is a game of such fine margins. They've won twelve penalties which is five more than Sporting, the same as Benfica, helped of course by Sporting on Sunday, and only Braga have won more. But they've missed 6 and I'm wishing I'd read that fucking stat before I made the point about what a difference scoring just 5 or 6 would have made. I'll leave it in for comedy value.
Their Xg conceded is 44.7, once more a better number than the actual total of 48 which is the eleventh best record and again, pretty damn good for a newly promoted side. If only they had a goalscorer. Third highest total of interceptions with 264. The lions have the fewest with 190 in the entire league. They've made 834 clearances in total which is a pretty mad statistic if you think about it. They've conceded eleven penalties the joint worst record with Moreirense and even worse is that 9 of those have been scored. They average 14.6 fouls per game (sixth highest) have picked up 76 yellows (seventh highest) and 3 reds (9th highest).
Their mister Gonçalo Feio took over in March from Cristiano Bacci who'd only joined in November, taking over from Ivo Vieira who'd only joined in July. Having three misters in one season clearly doesn't prove as profitable for every club as it did for Sporting last season with Messers Amorim, Pereira and Borges.
Other than a 5-0 thumping by Vitória they've not really disgraced themselves. They've managed a 0-0 draw with Benfica. Against Porto they twice took them into half time at 0-0. They've beaten Gil Vicente at a point Gil Vicente were still good and as we've already learned only lost to Braga at home in time added on.
Winter Transfer Window
Incoming
Benjamin Mbunga Kimipioka from Sivasspor for free
João Silva from Sport Recife on loan
Arjen van set Heide from De Graafschap for £208,000
Makan Aiko from Fortuna Sittard for free
Rodrigo Conçeicão free agent
Players corner
Defender Christian Marques was once on loan with Forest Green Rovers. I can't imagine there's many players to have played in both Portugal and for Forest Green it has to be said.
Rodrigo Conçeicão, as the name might suggest, is indeed the son of ex-Porto coach Sergio.
João Silva started at Alcochete featuring for Sporting B but never making the first team.
They boast an Irishman amongst their contingent in Joe Hodge which again feels as rare as hens teeth or rocking horse shit.
Of their listed squad of 26 only 7 are Portuguese, 1 more than the total number of Brazilians. There's probably your biggest problem - over 50% of your squad probably don't have a fucking clue what they're being told to do.
Head to head Tondela haven't beaten Sporting since 2019. Since that defeat the lions have won eight straight against them in all competitions and despite all Porto's protestations had they played this fixture as originally scheduled few would have had the game down as anything other than a Sporting win. Last time out the lions won 3-0 with goals from Suárez, Gonçalves and Quenda. Given this fixture was re-arranged a much longer than usual look back at what's happened in the opponents season since than usual.
A reminder of last time out -
Taça da Liga - Benfica (A) Hugely comfortable home win. Otamendi opens the scoring on 40 with a penalty. Lukebakio made it 2-0 on 82 and Pavlidis made it 3-0 four minutes into time added on at the end of the 90. Xg 2.01 to 0.29. Benfica converted 2 of their 2 big chances, Tondela failed to create 1.
Matchday 11 - AVS (A) Lopes gave Tondela the lead on 13, Bane made it 1-1 on 42. Perea turned the game on its head when he put AVS' ahead on 61. Henryque levelled from the penalty spot on 70 and the game finished 2-2. Xg 0.92 to 2.00. AVS missed their 1 big chance, Tondela missed 2 of 3.
Matchday 12 - Vitória (H) Late heartbreak as Camara scores a penalty one minute beyond the 90 for a 1-0 away win. Xg 1.46 to 1.33. CDT missed both their big chances, Vitória took their only one.
Taça de Portugal 4th round - Caldas (H) The cup tie proved a literal pain in the Cald-as as they were knocked out 6-5 on penalties.
Matchday 13 – Gil Vicente (A) First win in six in all
competitions came courtesy of Henryque who converted a penalty on 34 for a 1-0
win. Xg 0.52 to 1.09. Attempts were a
ratio of 3:1 with Gil recording 15 in total. They missed their 1 big chanced,
CDT scored 1 of 2.
Matchday 14 – Porto (H) Goalless at half time, Aghehowa scored 2 minutes into
the second half. Tondela’s hopes of getting a foot back into the game destroyed
within another minute when Gomes made it 2-0 to the visitors and that’s how the
game finished. Xg 0.48 to 1.94. No big chances for CDT, Porto scored both of
theirs.
Matchday 15 – Nacional (A) Despite taking the lead 3 minutes
into the second half through an Aurélio og, CDT unable to take anything away
from their island visit. Vitor made it 1-1 on 67, Boia makes it 2-1 a full 8
minutes into additional time and if they wasn’t crazy enough, Ramirez converted
a penalty 14 minutes into time added on to make it 3-1. This was despite
Nacional going down to 10 after just 18 minutes when Deivison was shown a
straight red. Henryque missed a penalty on 36. Pefok missed another penalty 8
minutes into additional time at the end of the 90. Their misery was compounded
when Medina was shown a straight red which led to the 3rd goal. Xg
2.35 to 3.57. Tondela missed all four big chances, Nacional scored 3 of their
4.
Matchday 16 - Casa Pia (H) Cavaleiro converted a penalty on
57 to give CDT the lead. However this was short lived as Larrazabal equalised 4
minutes later. Nhaga turned the game on its head on minute 69 to give Casa Pia
a 2-1 win. Xg 1.75 to 1.20. Tondela miss a whopping 3 of 4 big chances, the
visitors scored their only one.
Matchday 17 – Arouca (H) Tondela end their run of 3 straight defeats with a 3-1
win. Trezza opened the scoring for the yellow and blues on 7. Maviram equalised
for CDT on 11. Pefok put them ahead on 33 and Rodriguez made sure of all 3
points on 59. Despite the scoreline Xg of 0.45 to 0.77. 5 attempts in total for
CDT scoring their only big chance. Arouca missed 2 of their 3.
Matchday 18 – Moreirense (A) Maracas scores the games only
goal on 61 minutes. Xg 0.53 to 0.48. CDT fail to create a single big chance,
Moreirense miss both of theirs.
Matchday 19 – Braga (H) Gut wrencher for Tondela as Zalazar converts a penalty
for a 1-0 win in the first minute of addition time for the visitors. Xg 1.27 to
1.58. CDT miss 2 big chances, Braga score with their only one.
Matchday 20 – Famalicão (A) A 3-0 loss for CTD with goals coming from De Amorim
on 30, Dias on 68 and Santos on 81. XG 0.65 to 0.13. Neither side despite the
scoreline registered a single big chance. The result a 3rd straight
defeat.
Matchday 21 – Benfica (H) Huge point for Tondela against Benfica who are yet to
lose a game this season in the Liga. 0-0 the final score. Xg 0.48 to 2.10.
Benfica missed all 4 of their big chances, CDT missed their only one.
Matchday 22 – Estoril (A) Henryque flew out of the traps with goals on 11 and
15 to put the visitors 2-0 up. Carvalho made it 1-2 on 25, Ferro drew the sides
level on 28 and after a frenetic opening half hour, both sides from then on
couldn’t hit a cows arse with a banjo from 2 yards. Point shared apiece. Xg
0.74 to 1.36. Estoril miss their only big chance, CDT score both of theirs.
Matchday 23 – Alverca (H) Milovanovic puts the visitors 1-0 up after 3. Silva
scored 11 minutes from time to secure a 1-1 draw. Xg 1.67 to 0.66. Both sides
miss 1 big chance, Alverca only created the 1, Tondela with 2. CDT now 3 games
unbeaten if yet to still find a win.
Matchday 24 – Estrela (A) A first win since January 3rd. CDT went
1-0 up with just 3 minutes gone from the penalty spot through Bebeto. Henryque
made it 2-0 on 74 to secure all 3 points. Xg 0.94 to 1.36. CDT miss 1 of 2 big
chances, Estrela missed their 1.
Matchday 25 – Santa Clara (H) Bebeto converts a penalty on 9 to make it 1-0.
Silva equalised 5 minutes later for 1-1. Conçeicão restored the lead for CDT on
59. Araujo equalised 3 minutes from time for a 2-2 draw with a penalty kick. Xg
1.62 to 1.68. Both sides miss 1 of 2 big chances.
Matchday 26 – Rio Ave (H) Blesa the man with the red balloon celebrations
scored the games only goal on 69 for a 1-0 win to the visitors. Xg 0.69 to
1.23. Rio Ave miss 1 of 2 big chances, CDT miss their only one. Tondela’s 5
game unbeaten run comes to an end.
Matchday 27 – AVS (H) 0-0. Xg 0.87 to 0.89. Both sides missed their 1 big
chance. A far cry from the excitement of the 2-2 draw earlier in the season.
Matchday 28 – Vitória (A) A humbling day for the yellow and greens. Goals from
Camara (4), Nogueira (17), Samu (50 penalty), Silva (54) and Mendes (64)
secured a 5-0 thrashing. Xg 2.52 to 0.06. 0 big chances for the visitors,
Vitória scored 2 of 3.
Matchday 29 – Gil Vicente (H) CDT took the lead with 14
minutes gone through Lopes only to concede a penalty converted by Murilo on
minute 28. Eduardo put the visitors ahead on 89, however CDT picked up a
valuable point when Hodge made it 2-2 on plus 7. Xg 1.82 to 1.64. Tondela miss
3 of 4 big chances, Gil scored both theirs.
Matchday 30 – Porto (A) Despite holding the league leaders to a goalless half
time draw, goals from Veiga on 47 and Froholdt on 64 confirmed their 2-0
defeat. Xg 3.15 to a paltry 0.12 from 5 attempts from Tondela including no big
chances. 4 big chances for Porto missing 3. Tondela now with no win in 6.
Matchday 31 - Nacional (H) To follow.
In the markets
Sporting CP TBC
Draw TBC
CD Tondela TBC
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