Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Match Preview
The Primeira Liga action continues at the Estádio José Gomes on Sunday, 4 January 2026, as Estrela da Amadora host European hopefuls SC Braga. The hosts come into this game full of confidence after a thrilling 3–2 away victory over Famalicão, a result that lifted them to 10th place (18 points). Conversely, SC Braga (5th, 26 points) are licking their wounds despite a commendable 2–2 draw against giants Benfica in their last outing. The “Arsenalistas” paid a heavy price in that match, losing key players to suspension and injury, leaving Carlos Carvalhal’s squad depleted for this tricky trip to Reboleira.
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Match Info
- Competition: Primeira Liga (Matchday 17)
- Venue: Estádio José Gomes, Amadora (Capacity: 9,288)1
- Date: Sunday, 4 January 2026
- Kickoff: 20:30 WET | 21:30 CET | 15:30 ET
- Referee: Hélder Carvalho (POR)
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Match Stakes
Estrela da Amadora (10th — 18 pts):
- Win → Moves to 21 pts; could climb to 8th/9th and virtually secure mid-table safety.
- Draw → A solid result against a Top 5 team; extends unbeaten run to 3 games (W-D-?).
- Loss → Stalls momentum; likely keeps them in the bottom half mix.
SC Braga (5th — 26 pts):
- Win → Moves to 29 pts; crucial to keep pace with Vitória SC and Porto in the race for Europe.
- Draw → Disappointing follow-up to the Benfica draw; risks losing touch with the Top 4.
- Loss → Second away defeat in three games (lost to Estoril recently); confirms a mini-crisis on the road.
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Team News
Estrela da Amadora:
- Ni — Out (Injury – Likely Nani or Nilton)
- Vidigal S. — Out (Injury)
- Montoia G. — Questionable (Injury)
- Momentum: After scoring 3 against Famalicão, the attack led by Rodrigo Pinho and Kikas is firing.
SC Braga:
- Horta R. — Out (Red Card – Captain & Talisman Suspended)
- El Ouazzani A. — Out (Foot Injury – Top Striker Missing)
- Niakate S. — Out (International Duty – AFCON 2025 with Mali)
- Otavio — Questionable (Injury)
- Lagerbielke G. — Questionable (Injury)
- Crisis: Braga are missing their best defender (Niakate), best creator (Horta), and main striker (El Ouazzani).
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Estrela da Amadora
- 27/12 — 3–2 vs Famalicão (Liga Portugal)
- 21/12 — 0–0 vs Moreirense (Liga Portugal)
- 16/12 — 1–3 vs FC Porto (Liga Portugal)
- 07/12 — 3–1 vs Arouca (Liga Portugal)
- 30/11 — 0–4 vs Sporting CP (Liga Portugal)
SC Braga
- 28/12 — 2–2 vs Benfica (Liga Portugal)
- 24/12 — 3–0 vs Caldas (Taça de Portugal)
- 20/12 — 0–1 vs Estoril (Liga Portugal)
- 16/12 — 1–0 vs Santa Clara (Liga Portugal)
- 11/12 — 1–0 vs Nice (Europa League)
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 19/01/2025 — Estrela 0–1 SC Braga (Liga Portugal)
- 12/08/2024 — SC Braga 1–1 Estrela (Liga Portugal)
- 03/03/2024 — SC Braga 3–0 Estrela (Liga Portugal)
- 29/09/2023 — Estrela 2–4 SC Braga (Liga Portugal)
- 14/07/2021 — Estrela 0–0 SC Braga (Friendly)
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Estrela da Amadora (3-4-3)
Brigido; Ferro, Dramé, Cissokho; Travassos, Cordeiro, Bucca, Varela; Leo Jaba, Kikas, Alan Ruiz
SC Braga (4-2-3-1)
Matheus; Gomez, Paulo Oliveira, Arrey-Mbi, Marin; Moutinho, Zalazar; Roger Fernandes, Gharbi, Bruma; Roberto (Replacing El Ouazzani)
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Impact Bench
Estrela: Rodrigo Pinho (Goal threat), Kelvin (Pace)
SC Braga: Guitane (Creativity), Martinez (Late sub option)
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Tactical Analysis
Estrela da Amadora
Estrela are aggressive at home. They will look to exploit Braga’s makeshift defense. With Niakate out and Otavio/Lagerbielke doubtful, Braga’s center-back pairing will be slow. Estrela’s speed on the counter, utilizing Leo Jaba and Kikas, will be their primary weapon.
SC Braga
Without Ricardo Horta to link play and Amine El Ouazzani to finish, Braga must reinvent their attack. They will rely heavily on the wings—Bruma and Roger Fernandes—to create chaos. Ismael Gharbi likely steps into the #10 role. They need to control possession through Moutinho to prevent the game from becoming an end-to-end basketball match, which would favor Estrela.
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Key Battles
Kikas vs Paulo Oliveira — Estrela’s physical striker vs Braga’s veteran defender.
Bruma vs Travassos — Pace vs Pace on the flank.
Alan Ruiz vs Zalazar — The battle for midfield creativity.
Matheus vs The Crowd — Braga’s GK needs to command his box in a hostile atmosphere.
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Spotlight Players
Estrela da Amadora — Leo Jaba
The winger was electric in the win against Famalicão. His ability to drive at defenders will be crucial against a Braga defense that has conceded in 3 of their last 5 league games.
SC Braga — Bruma
With Horta out, Bruma is the senior attacker. He must take responsibility. His dribbling is elite, but his end product needs to be perfect to compensate for the missing starters.
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Prediction
Estrela da Amadora 1–1 SC Braga
Estrela are in good form and playing at home, while Braga are decimated by suspensions and AFCON absences. The loss of Ricardo Horta is massive. While Braga still has quality, Estrela has enough grit to earn a point. Expect a competitive draw.
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Betting Insights
- Double Chance — Estrela or Draw (High Value given Braga’s absences).
- Both Teams to Score — YES (Braga defense is reshuffled).
- Under 2.5 Goals — Possible (Braga missing main striker).
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — Where to Watch
- Portugal: Sport TV
- International: TrillerTV+, GolTV
Estrela da Amadora vs SC Braga — FAQs
Q: When is the Estrela vs Braga match?
A: The match kicks off on Sunday, 4 January 2026, at 20:30 WET.
Q: Why is Ricardo Horta not playing?
A: The Braga captain received a red card in the previous match against Benfica.
Q: Who is the favorite?
A: Braga are slight favorites on paper, but the odds are narrowing due to their heavy list of absentees.
Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community
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