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‘See ball, hit ball’: Samson’s six-hitting promise puts rivals on alert | Cricket News

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'See ball, hit ball': Samson’s six-hitting promise puts rivals on alert
Sanju Samson is felicitated by MS Dhoni during ‘Roar’ event in Chennai. (Pic credit: CSK’s X post)

CHENNAI: The MA Chidambaram Stadium turned back time on Sunday as the legendary heroes from Chennai Super Kings’ past walked into the stadium in a first-of-its-kind ‘Roar’ event for the fans.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The OGs, the men who built CSK’s legacy — Suresh Raina, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Matthew Hayden, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo — among others — slipped back into their vintage yellow jerseys and played an exhibition match against the current squad. The OGs got the better of the newbies with ease as the 28,000-odd crowd erupted into roars.

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CSK host fan engagement event at Chepauk ahead of IPL 2026

The star of the show, though, was Sanju Samson, for whom this will be his debut CSK season. Huge cheers were in store for him and the T20 World Cup winner assured that he will try and help the team lift the trophy.“Really happy and grateful to be a part of such a great franchise and team. It was a goosebumps moment. Winning the World Cup for the country is something I had dreamed of for many years. I’m glad I was able to contribute. Now, I’m excited and looking forward to the next couple of months in the IPL with my new team, CSK. My approach would be simple — see the ball and hit the ball. I will look to hit a lot of sixes,” said the wicket-keeper batter.Samson’s ‘duel’ with Sri Lankan great spinner Muralitharan also saw the loudest cheers of the evening. First, Samson politely played four dot balls to show respect. At one point, he stepped out looking to go big, missed, and MS Dhoni chose not to whip off the bails, a moment that drew smiles all around. However, Samson finished in style, striking two eyepleasing boundaries.As the crowd sang, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, Sanju is a superstar”, CSK’s ‘Chinna Thala’ Raina said that Samson’s inclusion will be a major boost for CSK. “I want them to win the title this time. The team looks very strong. Sanju is back here (after the World Cup), and there are a lot of youngsters who will learn from MS Dhoni and go on to get the trophy. I hope the fans continue supporting CSK like they always have,” Raina said.CSK also inducted Raina and Hayden into their first-ever Hall of Fame.

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Virat Kohli Surpasses Babar Azam, Chris Gayle; Achieves Mega First vs Mumbai Indians In IPL

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Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma – Sunday could not have gotten better for cricket fans. At the Wankhede Stadium, the two giants clashed in the biggest match of IPL 2026 so far. Virat Kohli played a patient knock while Phil Salt and Rajat Patidar rained fury. Kohli, though, also achieved a few major firsts. The former RCB captain is now the first batter to score 1,000-plus runs against MI. KL Rahul (977) and Shikhar Dhawan (901) are next in the list. 

Kohli also surpassed Chris Gayle and Babar Azam for being involved in the most century partnerships in T20s. The 120-run stand between Phil Salt and Kohli is the second-highest opening partnership for RCB against MI in the IPL. The highest remains the 148-run stand added by Faf du Plessis and Kohli in Bengaluru in 2023.

Most century partnerships in T20 cricket

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47 – Virat Kohli*

46 – Chris Gayle

46 – Babar Azam

45 – David Warner

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40 – Faf du Plessis

Talking about the match, Mumbai Indians (MI) won the toss and decided to field against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match No. 20 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Sunday.

The high-voltage clash between five-time champions MI and defending champions RCB is being played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

After winning the toss, MI skipper Hardik Pandya confirmed that Mayank Markande and Mitchell Santner came in for Rahul Chahar and Ghazanfar in their playing XI.

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“We’re going to bowl first. It looks like a good track. We played the first game on the other pitch; this looks similar. It’s always good to bat second here. I think it’s a big game. Just want to come out and play our best cricket, do the things we’ve spoken about in the meetings, and enjoy the sport. We requested good wickets, and we’ve been getting them,” Pandya said.

“As long as you land the ball right as a bowler and play the right shots as a batter, you’re in the game. Over the years at Wankhede, chasing has worked for a lot of teams. Being our home ground, dew comes in later as well. So it’s good to know what you’re chasing and plan your innings accordingly. Mayank Markande and Mitchell Santner come in for Chahar and Ghazanfar,” the MI skipper added.

After losing the toss, RCB captain Rajat Patidar said that Jacob Duffy replaced Josh Hazlewood in the playing XI.

“Obviously, we would have bowled first. But as you all know, it’s a good batting track. The ball comes nicely onto the bat with good bounce, so it won’t make too much difference. We’ll try to put a good total on the board and keep them under pressure. This is our fourth game,” Patidar said.

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“The way we’ve played in the last few matches, there are a lot of positives. In the last match, we were 97 for 6 and still managed to score over 200. That’s a positive sign for us. We enjoy playing here a lot. Whenever we come, we see great crowds. It’s challenging but also fun and exciting. Just one change – Duffy comes in place of Hazlewood,” the RCB skipper added


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Unhappy Virat Kohli Throws Away Helmet Despite Scoring 50 vs MI, Does Not Celebrate Landmark. This Is The Reason

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Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are the main protagonists in any Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians clash in IPL. Fans assembled at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday were treated to a Kohli half-century – his 65th in the IPL – which came off 37 balls. Yet, he appeared unhappy. In fact, he did not even celebrate the milestone after reaching it on the second ball of the 15th over bowled by Hardik Pandya. He departed two balls later while trying to break the shackles and looked frustrated. A strike rate of 131.58 may have been the reason. While Kohli was attempting to play the sheet-anchor role, the innings of Rajat Patidar (53 off 20 balls) and Phil Salt (78 off 36 balls) were in complete contrast.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli all registered half-centuries as the defending champions put up an imposing 240 for 4 – the second-highest total this season – against Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.

Salt smashed a 36-ball 78, studded with six boundaries and as many maximums, while stalwart Kohli made a composed 50 off 38 balls, as the duo put on a polished 120-run opening-wicket stand.

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Salt was dismissed by Shardul Thakur in his very first over – the team’s 11th – providing a huge sigh of relief to MI.

Skipper Rajat Patidar then took over from where Salt left off, scoring a rapid 53 off just 20 balls, laced with four boundaries and five sixes, as RCB made quite a statement.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to field.


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Justin Rose reveals why latest Masters near miss is more ‘frustrating’ than last year

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Justin Rose was left to rue mistakes around Amen Corner as another Masters slipped through his fingers.

A year after losing a play-off to Rory McIlroy he was leading by a shot as he approached Augusta National’s troublesome trio of holes.

But he bogeyed 11 and 12 and then could only par the 13th despite being on the green in two and with that the opportunity was taken away from him by his Ryder Cup team-mate.

“Just a chance that got away obviously. I was by no means kind of free and clear and was nowhere kind of close to having the job done but I was right in position,” said the Englishman, whose final-round 70 left him 10 under and two behind McIlroy, who made a successful defence of the green jacket.

“I was really in control, the first 10 holes I felt like I was and the mentality was to run through the finish line not just try and get it done.

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“I was playing great but just momentum shifted for me around the Amen Corner. That three-putt (on 13) was untimely for sure.

“I feel like with a sudden-death loss (last year) you kind of know you got to the house. You’ve done everything it took to win, then it comes down to flick of a coin at times.

“Whereas today I felt there was an opportunity to do better, so obviously that is frustrating for sure.”

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NBA playoff bracket, schedule: East seeds set as Raptors claim No. 5 seed

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Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports

The 2026 NBA playoff bracket will be finalized on Sunday night. After the night’s first batch of games, we know what the Eastern Conference side of the bracket looks like. The Toronto Raptors clinched the final top-six seed and a guaranteed playoff berth on Sunday thanks to their win over the Nets. The Raptors will be the No. 5 seed in the East and face the Cavs in the first round, as the Hawks were bumped down to the No. 6 seed with their loss to the Heat on Sunday. The Hawks will go up against the third-seeded Knicks in the first round.

The No. 1 Pistons and No. 2 Celtics await the Play-In Tournament winners in the East. The 76ers will host the Magic with the No. 7 seed on the line Tuesday, while the Hornets and Heat will play in the 9-10 matchup on Wednesday.

In the West, the biggest question is if the Nuggets can lock up the No. 3 seed and keep the Lakers at No. 4. The West’s No. 3 seed would face the Wolves in the first round, while the Rockets await the No. 4 seed.

While we wait and see how the final seeds shake out, here’s an up-to-date look at the 2026 NBA playoff bracket, as well as the schedule for the Play-In Tournament and key dates for the next two months.

2026 NBA playoff bracket


Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports

2026 NBA Playoff Picture

NBA postseason bracket after Sunday’s East games

Play-In Tournament

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East first round
No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 TBD
No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 TBD
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Hawks
No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Raptors

West first round
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 TBD
No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 TBD
No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
No. 4 Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets

Play-In Tournament schedule

Tuesday, April 14

  • 76ers vs. Magic, 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime — Winner gets East No. 7 seed
  • Suns vs. Trail Blazers/Clippers, 10 p.m. ET, Prime — Winner gets West No. 7 seed

Wednesday, April 15

  • Hornets vs. Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime — Loser is eliminated from postseason
  • Trail Blazers/Clippers vs. Warriors, 10 p.m. ET, Prime — Loser is eliminated from postseason

Friday, April 17

  • 76ers/Magic vs. Hornets/Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime — Winner gets East No. 8 seed, loser is eliminated from postseason
  • TBD vs. TBD, 10 p.m. ET, Prime — Winner gets West No. 8 seed, loser is eliminated from postseason

2026 NBA playoffs schedule

Saturday, April 18

  • Four first-round playoff games (times and matchups TBD)

Sunday, April 19

  • Four first-round playoff games (times and matchups TBD)

2026 NBA playoffs key dates

  • April 18-19: First-round series begin
  • May 2-4: Second round begins
  • May 10: 2026 NBA Draft Lottery
  • May 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin
  • May 20: Western Conference Finals begin
  • June 3NBA Finals Game 1
  • June 19: NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary)

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Drama at Wankhede! RCB star Tim David refuses to return ball; umpire annoyed – WATCH | Cricket News

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Drama at Wankhede! RCB star Tim David refuses to return ball; umpire annoyed - WATCH
Tim David (Image credit: X)

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Tim David left the umpire slightly annoyed with a playful act during their IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.The incident unfolded in the 18th over of the RCB innings when David smashed a towering six off Hardik Pandya over deep mid-wicket. The strike was so powerful that it altered the shape of the ball, which had also become wet, forcing the umpires to call for a replacement.As the box of used balls was brought out, David picked one up and began casually playing with it. Despite repeated requests from the umpire to hand it back, the Australian continued to toy with the ball for a few moments, leaving the official visibly miffed. After a brief delay, David finally returned the ball, bringing a smile back to the situation.Rohit Sharma also joined in, sharing a light-hearted moment with David as the incident drew laughter on the field.Earlier, RCB’s top order had dominated proceedings. Skipper Rajat Patidar, along with Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, struck impressive half-centuries to power the defending champions to a massive 240/4 — the second-highest total of the season.Salt led the charge with a blistering 78 off 36 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes, while Kohli anchored the innings with a composed 50 off 38 deliveries. The pair added a fluent 120 runs for the opening wicket before Shardul Thakur provided the breakthrough.Patidar then carried forward the momentum with a rapid 53 off just 20 balls, laced with four boundaries and five sixes, as RCB stamped their authority with a commanding batting display.In reply, Mumbai Indians could manage 222/5. RCB won the match by 18 runs

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IPL 2026 points table after Match 20: RCB hold firm at No. 3; Mumbai Indians stay 8th

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NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru strengthened their hold on third place in the IPL 2026 points table with an 18-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. With this victory, RCB now have three wins and one loss from four matches, taking their tally to six points with an impressive net run rate of +1.148.

Despite the defeat, Mumbai Indians continue to languish in eighth place. They have managed just one win in four outings, with three losses, and have a net run rate of -0.772.

At the top of the table, Rajasthan Royals remain unbeaten, winning all four of their matches to sit comfortably with eight points and a league-best net run rate of +2.055.

Punjab Kings follow in second place with three wins from four matches, accumulating seven points and a net run rate of +0.720.

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Behind RCB, Delhi Capitals occupy fourth position with two wins and two losses, earning four points and a net run rate of +0.322.

Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants are placed fifth and sixth respectively, both with identical records of two wins and two losses from four matches.

However, Gujarat Titans have a slightly better net run rate (-0.029) compared to Lucknow (-0.427).

Sunrisers Hyderabad sit seventh with just one win in four matches and a net run rate of -0.024.

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Below Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings are ninth with one win and three defeats, struggling with a net run rate of -1.532.

At the bottom of the table, Kolkata Knight Riders are yet to register a win, with three losses and one no-result, giving them just one point and a net run rate of -1.315.

Position

Team

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Played

Won

Lost

No Result

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Points

NRR

1

Rajasthan Royals

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4

4

0

0

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8

+2.055

2

Punjab Kings

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4

3

0

1

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7

+0.720

3

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

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4

3

1

0

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6

+1.148

4

Delhi Capitals

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4

2

2

0

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4

+0.322

5

Gujarat Titans

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4

2

2

0

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4

-0.029

6

Lucknow Super Giants

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4

2

2

0

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4

-0.427

7

Sunrisers Hyderabad

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4

1

3

0

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2

-0.024

8

Mumbai Indians

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4

1

3

0

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2

-0.772

9

Chennai Super Kings

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4

1

3

0

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2

-1.532

10

Kolkata Knight Riders

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4

0

3

1

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1

-1.315

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What Forced Rohit Sharma To Leave Field Midway During MI vs RCB – Explained

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Rohit Sharma, batting on 19 off 13 balls, walked off the pitch during Mumbai Indians’ chase of 241 against Royal Challengers Benglauru at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday during an IPL 2026 match. MI needed Rohit to stay for long to chase down the target, but an unbeaten Rohit walking off the pitch raised a massive concern. According to reports, Rohit Sharma was struggling with is hamstring and decided to walk off. However, by his facial expression, it did not look like it was a minor issue. If that was the case, it can be safely presumed that Rohit would not have left the field.

Even Virat Kohli faced an ankle issue and did not field for RCB. Ultimately, MI failed to chase down a 241-run target and lost the match by 18 runs.

Earlier, star India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli continued his love affair with Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Wankhede Stadium as he became the first-ever batter to hit 1,000 runs against the five-time champions on Sunday.

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During the high-octane match against MI, Virat held one end steady as Phil Salt and skipper Rajat Patidar fired massive sixes, scoring 50 in 38 balls, with five fours and a six, at a strike rate of over 131.

Now against MI, Virat has scored 1,030 runs in 36 innings at an average of 32.18 and a strike rate of 129.23, with a best score of 92* and seven fifties.

In his four innings in this edition of the season so far, Virat has made 179 runs at an average of 59.66, with a strike rate of 162.72, including two fifties and a best score of 69*.

In 23 matches and innings at Wankhede Stadium, Virat has made 888 runs at an average of 55.5, with a strike rate of 148.49, with nine fifties and a best score of 92*.

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Virat also had a century partnership with Phil Salt, registering his 47th century partnership in T20s, the most by a batter in T20s, outdoing Chris Gayle, who was involved in 46 such stands.

A 120-run stand between Salt (78 in 36 balls, with six fours and six sixes) and Virat and a 65-run stand between Virat (50 in 38 balls, with five fours and a six) and skipper Patidar (53 in 20 balls, with four boundaries and five sixes) and later some brutal hitting from David (34* in 16 balls, with two fours and three sixes) pushed RCB to a massive score of 240/4 in 20 overs.

With agency inputs 


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Rory McIlroy explains why his parents nearly didn’t attend historic Masters success

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Back-to-back Masters champion Rory McIlroy was delighted to have his parents at Augusta National to witness his triumph after they missed out a year ago.

Mum Rosie and dad Gerry were back home in Northern Ireland when he completed the career grand slam 12 months ago and he admitted they had doubts about flying over for his defence.

But they were rewarded with a one-stroke victory as he secured his sixth major.

“It’s only the second major win my mum’s been at, she was at The Open in Hoylake in 2014,” he said.

“There was a piece of them that didn’t want to come this year after not being here last year but I’m so glad they got to experience this today.

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“I can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket and now I get two in a row.

“I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off.

“It was a tough weekend. I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday, but I’m just so happy to hang in there and get the job done.”

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Tondela vs Gil Vicente Prediction and Betting Tips

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Tondela and Gil Vicente bring round 29 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga to an end when they square off at the Estadio Joao Cardoso on Monday. Both sides head into the game off the back of contrasting results, with the Gilistas claiming a comfortable home victory over AVS.

Tondela dropped three more points at the wrong end of the Primeira Liga standings last time out when they suffered a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Vitoria de Guimaraes.

With that result, Goncalo Feio’s men have failed to win 10 of their most recent 11 matches, losing five and picking up five draws since kicking off the year with a 3-1 victory over Arouca on January 3.

Having gained promotion from the second tier last season to end a three-year absence from the top flight, Tondela find themselves in the fight to avoid relegation, as they sit 17th in the Primeira Liga table with just 20 points from 27 games, five points away from safety.

Meanwhile, Gil Vicente cruised to a 3-0 victory over bottom-dwellers AVS at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos last time out to rekindle hopes of securing European qualification.

The Gilistas had failed to win their previous five matches, losing three and picking up two draws while conceding 10 goals and scoring six across the five matches.

Gil Vicente have picked up 45 points from their 28 Primeira Liga matches so far to sit sixth in the standings, seven points behind fourth-placed Braga in the UEFA Conference League qualifying spot heading into the final six games.

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Tondela vs Gil Vicente Head-To-Head and Key Numbers

  • Gil Vicente hold the upper hand in the history of this fixture, having won five of the last nine meetings between the two teams.
  • Tondela have picked up two wins in that time, while the spoils have been shared on two occasions.
  • Gil Vicente have won just one of their most recent nine away matches, while losing three and claiming five draws since the start of November.
  • Tondela are on a run of six consecutive home games without a win, losing twice and claiming four draws since January’s 3-1 victory over Arouca.

Tondela vs Gil Vicente Prediction

Buoyed by their win over AVS, Gil Vicente will look to put together solid late-season form as they eye the Conference League ticket.

The Gilistas are up against a floundering Tondela side who have struggled to impose themselves in the big leagues, and we are backing them to come away with all three points.

Prediction: Tondela 0-2 Gil Vicente


Tondela vs Gil Vicente Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result – Gil Vicente to win

Tip 2: Over 2.5 goals – No (There have been fewer than three goals scored in five of the last seven meetings between the two teams)

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Tip 3: Over 4.5 cards – No (There have also been fewer than five cards issued in five of their last six clashes)