In the Barclays Premier League, Sporting Kokusaika will face a solid Sao Paulo team at home. Although Sporting are in the middle to lower reaches of the league, they have already made it to the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores and are faced with a decision to be made. Meanwhile, São Paulo is busy preparing for the upcoming Copa do Brasil final, and their league record is no longer a priority for them. Against this backdrop, the contrast between the two teams will be particularly crucial.
Kokusai are currently in the 14th place in the league, only five points above the relegation zone, and are facing some relegation pressure. However, there are still sixteen rounds of matches left in the league, so they still have plenty of time to fight for points. At the moment, the National Team is mainly focusing on the Copa Libertadores. Last month, they eliminated Bolivar from the Copa Libertadores in the last eight, and will face Fu Minh Nis in the quarterfinals. In the league, they have failed to win in ten consecutive matches, with only six draws and four losses. However, it's worth noting that Kokusai have a decent first half at home in the league, drawing with their opponents at halftime in four of their last five home matches. In addition, their attacking prowess will be further hampered by the suspension of veteran goalscorer Reis Azuanu.
Look for a halftime draw and a score prediction of 0:0. (Kickoff 8:30 a.m. Thursday)
