Porto vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction: Europa League beckons for Ukrainians

It all comes down to the final day in Group H on Wednesday night (KO, 20:00), as Shakhtar Donetsk visit the Estadio do Dragao seeking to usurp Porto and take the second Champions League knockout spot behind Barcelona.

The Ukrainians began their European campaign with a 3-1 defeat to Porto in September, and despite winning three of their next four, must now beat the Portuguese side to avoid the drop into the Europa League.

A draw is all that is required for the home side to reach the knockout stage for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.

Team News

Porto will be without the injured trio of Ivan Marcano, Gabriel Veron and Wendell for the visit of Shakhtar, but Joao Mario could return after missing the past three matches with a thigh issue.

David Carmo is also available after missing the last Champions League game against Barcelona through suspension.

The visitors, meanwhile, are still without Lassina Traore, Yukhym Konoplya and Ivan Petryak.

Match Odds

Porto are 2/5 to win and do the double over their opponents while a draw, which would still send them into the knockout stages of the Champions League, is 16/5. Shakhtar are 11/2 to get the all-important three points they need.

Both teams to score is priced at 5/6 and it’s 10/1 for a repeat of the 3-1 scoreline in Porto’s favour in September.

Porto to win and both teams to score @ 21/10

Shakhtar need to win on Wednesday which means they should be on the front-foot at the Estadio do Dragao. The Ukrainian side will fancy their chances of scoring as they have done so in every group game so far.

However, they’ve also conceded in all but one, with three of the seven goals scored past them coming in the reverse fixture in Hamburg.

Barcelona are the only side Porto have failed to beat in the group, and their 1-0 defeat to the Spanish champions in October is the only time they have failed to score in a game.

Both teams have scored in four of Porto’s last six, but they are a pretty formidable outfit at home. With Shakhtar potentially leaving themselves exposed at the back, backing a home win and BTTS looks like a solid pick.

Oleksandr Zubkov to score anytime @ 5/1

Shakhtar need at least one goal on Wednesday, and Zubkov looks one of the most likely players to get it for them.

The 27-year-old has scored in Shakhtar’s last two matches, which has taken his season tally to five. He fired three shots off against Porto in the reverse fixture, with two of them on target.

On the other hand, Danylo Sikan, his club’s top scorer in the competition so far with three goals, has failed to find the net since November 12 and didn’t trouble Porto with an effort in September.

Sikan is also more at risk of being substituted, so the 3/1 on the 22-year-old looks poorer value at the moment, compared to the 5/1 for Zubkov to score against Porto.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.