Belenenses
- CF Os Belenenses finished at the top of Serie B with 38 points during the first phase of the 2025-2026 Liga 3 and are among the favorites to win the title when the promotion phase gets underway in 2026.
- Tiago Zorro has done a wonderful job to transform them into a possession-based, well-structured attacking side since taking over in September 2025.
- Belenenses are on a roll with 4 wins in their last 5 matches across all competitions.
- Belenenses’ 4-0 thrashing of Sporting Covilhã in the last away game of the first round and last Saturday’s 1-0 home win over 1º Dezembro kept their momentum going into the second phase.
- Belenenses are heavy favorites at 1.73 for Saturday’s meeting with CD Trofense, who enter the promotion group after qualifying from Serie A.
- They have more experience and quality at this level.
Trofense
- The visitors will provide a different challenge to what the hosts have encountered in the past few weeks as Renato Coimbra has imbued his team with a tough, gritty mentality that was good enough to secure promotion phase qualification in the final game.
- They got a vital point away at Amarante, which was enough to put them into the final six of Série A.
- Trofense’s counter-attacking style will look to force Belenenses into mistakes and get men behind them as they look to score on the break.
- They also have a talented creative player in Nuninho, who was the man of the match in that key qualifier, and can release Moussa in behind the opposition’s defence.
- Moussa can be a big threat to any opponent, given the opportunity, as he proved with his brace and has the pace to win a foot race with most players.
Head-to-Head
- Belenenses have dominated recent head-to-heads against Trofense.
-
Results:
- Belenenses won 3-0 in the 2024 Taça de Portugal.
- Belenenses won 5-0 in the 2014 meeting.
Belenenses
- Look for Wilson Eduardo to be the focal point of their attack.
- David Rebelo and Evandro provide Belenenses with attacking quality.
- Cesinha and Afonso Pinto are strong in the air and should balance the game in midfield.
Trofense
- Nuninho was the man of the match in the qualifier and can create chances.
- Moussa has the pace to cause problems on the counter-attack and scored a brace in that key game.
- Diogo Monteiro and Joel Oliveira are options in attack, although they are more likely to be used in rotation.
Betting Insights
- The under 2.5 goals option is favored at 1.69.
- Belenenses are heavy favorites at 1.73 for the home win.
- Trofense are clear underdogs at 4.49.
- Expect a tactical match with chances at each end as Belenenses have the ball and Trofense have the legs to cause problems on the counter-attack.
Prediction
- Back the home side to edge a match they should control.
- Belenenses to confirm their status as the favourites to finish top in the promotion phase.
