Belgium Vs Portugal
Belgium Vs Portugal Sunday 27 June, 2021 – 20:00
UEFA Euro 2020 – Round of 16
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: 20/23
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 25 June 2021)
Preview: Seville’s La Cartuja will host one of the standout last sixteen ties between Belgium, the highest ranked side in world football at this moment in time, and Portugal, who are still in the running to defend their title from five years ago.
UEFA Euro 2020 Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Belgium – Red Devils gearing up for sternest test yet?
Three teams could boast flawless records by the end of the group stage. Belgium, into the knockout rounds for a fifth successive major tournament, were joined by Italy and the Netherlands in not dropping a point in reaching the last eight, after the 2018 World Cup semi-finalists rather eased through proceedings in Group B. Scoring seven and conceding once in wins against Denmark, Finland and Russia.
Kevin De Bruyne has been instrumental. Despite only featuring for 134 minutes during the group stage, the midfielder had a hand in three goals (1 goal, 2 assists), laying on the assist for the equalising goal before slamming home the winner from distance in the come from behind victory over the Danes. With an assist in his previous three tournament matches, he is now only two shy of Eden Hazard’s record (5).
Meanwhile Romelu Lukaku positioned himself prominently in the Golden Boot race. His three goals moving him one shy of equalling his best return at a finals and two off the tournament’s leading scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo. Alongside De Bruyne, this is arguably the most fearsome attacking combination in Europe, culminating in The Red Devils recording nine wins in their past ten tournament matches.
Portugal – Ronaldo exploits masking defensive deficiencies?
Four points in Group F represented the lowest return for a defending champion since Greece in 2008, while it was the second successive instance of them finishing third but still managing to qualify, as they did in 2016 when defying the odds to lift the trophy in France. Portugal won their easiest assignment on paper, beating Hungary 3-0, but could only muster a single point from clashes with France (2-2) and Germany (2-4).
That chastening defeat to the Germans exposed some glaring flaws in this backline, one which is now bidding to avoid conceding 2+ goals for the third straight game for the first time since 2013. In fact, out of the sixteen teams still standing, Portugal rank bottom of the pile when it comes to goals conceded (6) and shots on target faced (17), and are only above Sweden and Wales for Expected Goals Against.
Thankfully, Cristiano Ronaldo is still going strong. With no player finding the net more often in the group stage (5), CR7 is on course to finish as the tournament’s top scorer for a second time, after sharing the honour in 2012. Meanwhile, should he notch another brace of goals to go with those against Hungary and France, he will become the first ever player to do so three times in the same European Championship.
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Belgium Vs Portugal Betting Advice
Not since September 1989 have Belgium beaten Portugal, with the latter currently unbeaten across all five subsequent meetings (W3 D2). The latest duel, in a 2018 friendly, was an oddity in that it ended goalless – the four prior encounters, dating this century, had seen an average of three goals per game and a minimum of two in each. So here’s to hoping the fixture returns to its previous norm.
Belgium Vs Portugal – Key Facts:
- Portugal are unbeaten in five versus Belgium (W3 D2), since the latter’s 3-0 win in September 1989. Three of these encounters saw both teams score.
- Belgium won all three group games, easily topping a group which contained Denmark, Finland and Russia. Portugal qualified in third in Group F, behind Germany and France.
- Only Cristiano Ronaldo, with five, has scored more goals at Euro 2020 than Romelu Lukaku, who opened the scoring in wins against Finland and Russia.
Belgium have only conceded once at these finals, scoring seven, but are now facing a considerable upgrade on what they’ve faced previously. However, Portugal are yet to score less than twice, including against France and Germany (both games produced Both Teams to Score) who both found it all too easy to get in behind a Portuguese defence which has now conceded six times in two matches.
Ronaldo and Lukaku to Score, Kevin de Bruyne to Assist a Goal, and Both Teams to Score works out at 26/1 with Betfair’s Bet Builder.
Best Betting Odds – Belgium Vs Portugal
Belgium – 6/4 (Betway)
Draw – 23/10 (BetVictor)
Portugal – 21/10 (Betfair)
