Lincoln Red Imps will take on Sporting Braga in the Europa League qualifying first-leg game at the Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar on Thursday, 21 August.
The home side stunned everyone by beating Noah on penalties in the previous round, while Braga convincingly defeated CFR Cluj 4-1 on aggregate. Will Lincoln cause another upset? Find that out from our Lincoln Red Imps vs Sporting Braga prediction below.
Contents
Lincoln Red Imps vs Sporting Braga prediction: Visitors to secure win
Key stats
- Lincoln are heading into this game on the back of a 3-0 win against FC Bruno's Magpies in the Gibraltar Super Cup.
- Braga have won their last four games in all competitions.
- The Portuguese side have kept clean sheets in their last three games.
Correct score prediction: Lincoln Red Imps 1-2 Sporting Braga
Carlos Vicen's side have started the season on a strong note, winning back-to-back games in the Portuguese Primeira Liga to sit second in the table, same points as Sporting Lisbon.
Red Imps kept their nerves to beat Noah on penalties, but they may fail to progress to the league rounds as Braga could prove to be too strong for them.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Braga are clear favourites to win
- HOME: 16/1 (17.0) – 5.90%
- DRAW: 7/1(8.0) – 12.50%
- AWAY: 2/13 (1.15) – 86.70%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Thus, we can clearly see that Braga are firm favourites to advance to the league phases of this competition. They will want to take a healthy lead in Gibraltar before the second leg.
Don’t forget to check out more of our best betting tips if you enjoyed our tips for this match.
Most recent H2Hs: Never met before
The two sides have never faced each other in any competition, which brings an element of uncertainty.
Lincoln Red Imps are the country's record champions with 29 league titles, and they are capable of scoring goals at home.
Lincoln Red Imps preview: Looking to cause an upset
The Red Imps were placed in the Champions path after they got eliminated in the second Champions League qualifying round by Crvena zvezda Beograd.
The Serbian side were way too good for them, as they thrashed Lincoln 6-1 on aggregate, winning the second leg at home 5-1.
Many had expected that they would struggle against Noah. In the first leg, they drew 1-1 at home, but produced a strong performance in Armenia, winning on penalties after a 0-0 draw in normal time, to secure a passage to the next round.
Predicted lineup: Garcia (GK), Nano, Rutjens, Lopes, Ayew, Torrilla, Mandi, Garcia, Dabo, DeBarr & Villacanas
Gibraltar National League 14/12/24
W
FCB Magpies
0
Lincoln Red Imps FC
2
Gibraltar National League 30/11/24
W
Europa Point
0
Lincoln Red Imps FC
2
Gibraltar National League 23/10/24
D
St Joseph's FC
0
Lincoln Red Imps FC
0
UEFA Conference League Qualifying 29/08/24
L
Larne FC
3
Lincoln Red Imps FC
1
UEFA Conference League Qualifying 22/08/24
W
Larne FC
1
Lincoln Red Imps FC
2
Braga preview: Looking to continue their impressive form
Os Arcebispos finished fourth in the Portuguese League last season, and they are expected to reach the league phases of the Europa League.
Braga started their 2025-26 campaign with a tough fixture against Levski Sofia. They earned a 0-0 draw away to Bulgaria. In the return leg, Fran Navvaro scored in the extra time to secure a 1-0 win.
After that, the Arsenalists have peaked their form, and won four games in a row, scoring an impressive 10 goals. They kept clean sheets in their last three games, and most importantly, have been scoring goals in the first half.
Predicted lineup: Hornicek, Arrey-Mbi, Oliveira, Carvalho, Lelo, Gorby, Rodrigues, Zalazar, Horta, Victor & Ouazzani
Portugal Primeira Liga 10/05/25
L
Casa Pia
2
Braga
1
Portugal Primeira Liga 03/05/25
D
Santa Clara
1
Braga
1
Portugal Primeira Liga 25/04/25
D
Famalicao
1
Braga
1
Portugal Primeira Liga 19/04/25
W
Estoril
0
Braga
2
Portugal Primeira Liga 13/04/25
W
AVS
1
Braga
4
Player to watch: Pau Victor
The 23-year-old is an exciting player to watch. The Spaniard has scored one goal in the 3-0 win over Tondela in the opening league game.
The former Barcelona winger brings quality to the side, and he could play a key role against Lincoln on Thursday.
