Portugal have been grinding their way through the World Cup without much flair but they keep finding ways to stay alive in the knockout stage. After a tense win over Croatia in the round of 16 where Gonzalo Ramos came off the bench to score the winner in stoppage time they now face a tough test against Spain. The Portuguese side has only managed to score more than one goal once so far and they look a bit tired after relying on narrow results.
Team Form
Spain on the other hand have been looking sharper with every match. They started slowly with a goalless draw against Cape Verde but since then they have dominated their opponents completely. Their keeper Unai Simon has not conceded a single goal yet and the team has four wins and one draw from five games showing real consistency at the back.
- Portugal have one clean sheet in the tournament so far
- Spain have kept four clean sheets and remain unbeaten
- Head to head record favours Spain over the last twenty years
Tactical Analysis
The two sides play very different styles right now. Portugal tend to sit deep and suffer for results while Spain press high and control games with quick passing. Last year Portugal beat Spain on penalties in the Nations League final but in open play Spain usually have the edge and their current form suggests they could keep another clean sheet here.
Betting Proposal
Given how well Spain are defending and how much Portugal struggle to create chances the smart money is on the visitors to take all three points. Spain to win away at 1.90 looks like good value for this clash. Expect the Spanish to stay solid and nick the game with a late goal or two after wearing Portugal down.
