- 1 Santa Clara vs Braga: the Azoreans are still unbeaten, and it’s no fluke
- 2 Santa Clara, a fortress in the Azores
- 3 Braga, an attack that keeps stalling away from Minho
- 4 Football Prediction Santa Clara vs Braga
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information that moves
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Santa Clara vs Braga: the Azoreans are still unbeaten, and it’s no fluke 
Fourteen points from six games. Santa Clara have already broken the club’s points record at this stage of a season, and the campaign has barely started.
The Sao Miguel club host Braga this Sunday, 20 September, at 19:00 Paris time, in round seven of Liga Portugal.
Fourth in the table with four wins and two draws, Petit’s side are still unbeaten. Braga are seventh with 10 points from five matches.
That record was gone by matchday five, with 11 points on the board compared with the previous best of 9, set in 2024-25.
The visitors also have a game in hand, with their home meeting with Gil Vicente postponed on matchday two. The current table flatters them a little.
Braga are coming off a narrow 1-0 win over Estoril, sealed by Jonas Wind in the 83rd minute. The performance raised more questions than it answered.
History leans heavily toward the Guerreiros do Minho, who have won 14 of the 24 official meetings between the sides, with six draws and four defeats.
But Braga’s last trip to Estadio de Sao Miguel ended in a 2-1 defeat in April. Another loss would mark a first: back-to-back defeats at this ground.
Santa Clara have dropped points only twice this season, against Nacional and at Alverca. Everything else has ended in victory.
Santa Clara, a fortress in the Azores 
Two home games, two wins, five goals scored and none conceded. Santa Clara’s home record leaves no room for debate.
Famalicao left with a 1-0 defeat, then Rio Ave were smashed 4-0. That’s the club’s biggest win of the season.
Last week, the Azoreans went to Arouca and won 2-1 thanks to Goncalo Paciencia and Dje Tavares, both on target before the break.
Ivan Barbero’s goal after half-time only cut the deficit. Santa Clara saw the game out without fuss.
Paciencia is up to five league goals, making him the main man in attack. Tavares, meanwhile, had a goal and an assist in that one game at Arouca.
The backdrop makes it even more impressive: the club finished 13th last season, eight places down on the year before, when they banked a historic European berth.
Petit will be without MT, still sidelined with a knee ligament injury, and Sorriso, suspended after his red card at Arouca.
Pedro Ferreira, who has started every league game this season, will bring up his 100th official appearance for the club if he makes the XI. He is one of four players who have played every minute under Petit this term.
Santa Clara opened the campaign with that 2-2 draw against Nacional before beating Academico de Viseu. Since then, the machine has kept rolling.
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Braga, an attack that keeps stalling away from Minho 
Four points from three away league games. For a club chasing the podium, that’s poor stuff.
A 2-2 draw at Moreirense, a 2-1 win at Alverca, then a 2-1 defeat at Estrela Amadora: the road has not been kind to Carlos Vicens’ team this season.
That loss at Estrela Amadora remains their only defeat in all competitions. It came away from home, which is no great surprise given the numbers.
The response came at home to Estoril, with Jonas Wind’s late goal securing the points. It was another reminder of the attack’s current lack of spark.
Last season, Braga picked up 29 points from 17 league away matches. Right now, they are a long way off that level.
They finished fourth in May, which still wasn’t enough to claim a Europa League place. A top-three push will need much better results on the road.
Sekou Niakate remains out, still recovering from an Achilles tendon rupture, and has not played a minute this season. Adrian Bajrami, Vitor Carvalho, Bright Arrey-Mbi and Gustaf Lagerbielke are battling for three places in defence.
Ricardo Horta is back in the squad after a muscle issue and played around 30 minutes against Estoril. Wind, signed this summer, is also pushing for his first start.
Braga did still get through their European playoff against Austria Vienna, winning 2-0 before a 0-0 draw in Austria. The backbone is there, it just rarely shows in the league away from home.
Probable Santa Clara XI: Franca; L. Soares, Pacheco, Fernandes, G. Romao; Ferreira, Ribeiro; Brenner, Tavares, V. Lopes; Paciencia
Probable Braga XI: Bernardo; Lagerbielke, Vitor Carvalho, Bajrami; Gomez, Gorby, Tiknaz, Martinez; Horta, Wind, P. Victor
Football Prediction Santa Clara vs Braga
Our prediction: Santa Clara or draw (double chance 1X) against Braga
Santa Clara have not conceded a single goal at Sao Miguel this season, and nobody has taken a point there either.
Braga are scraping goals on the road and have already lost away from home, against a side in far worse form than the one waiting for them on Sunday.
The Azoreans also beat the same opponent 2-1 on this pitch in April. They know exactly how to take down this sort of team at home.
The form guide is clear and the home advantage is huge. Backing the home win or draw looks the safest play in this match.
Braga have won just one league away game this season. Santa Clara, on the other hand, have not given an inch at Sao Miguel.
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