Portugal Vs Sweden
Portugal Vs Sweden Wednesday 14th October 2020 – 19:45 (GMT)
UEFA Nations League
Pick: Portugal to WIN
Odds: 3/5
Bookmaker: 888Sport
(All betting odds displayed correct at time of writing: 12th October 2020)
Preview: After three rounds in Group A3, the picture is becoming a little clearer with Sweden at risk of demotion, after failing to pick up a single point thus far, as all the while Portugal seek to consolidate their hold of top spot.
UEFA Nations League Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Portugal Preview – Defensive resolve deserving of more praise?
More often than not it is Cristiano Ronaldo, the country’s most capped (167 apps) and all-time leading scorer on 101 goals, who claims the plaudits among a Portugal team who are the reigning European champions as well inaugural Nations League winners. However, Sunday’s goalless stalemate in Paris, in a surprisingly low-key encounter with World Cup holders France, was a reminder of what this defence can do.
Just several days earlier France were putting seven past a hapless Ukraine side at the same Stade de France venue. So for Fernando Santos’ men to walk away with their clean sheet still in tact was no small achievement, nor was it necessarily a fluke. In fact that was their second consecutive impressive shut out within the space of four days, having denied Spain in a friendly that finished 0-0 in Lisbon last Wednesday.
The point last time out could prove useful indeed; it keeps the Euro 2016 winners top of this group, on account of their superior goal difference, whilst extending their unbeaten run to six matches (W4 D2) – a run featuring five clean sheets and only one goal conceded. Proving that on those rare occasions Ronaldo does endure an off-day, there is always the possibility for this well-marshalled backline saving the day.
Sweden Preview – Demotion beckons for winless Swedes?
Following Sunday’s loss in Croatia, the situation in the group has become even more precarious for the Scandinavians who must now realise their sole aim in their remaining three group games is picking up sufficient points to avoid a last place finish. Such an outcome would see them demoted, a worst case scenario which could become all the more realistic should they once again fail to pick up any points in Lisbon.
Courtesy of their 2-1 defeat in Zagreb on Sunday, Sweden find themselves rooted to the bottom of Group A3 and as the only side in the section still to register a point (L3). This in spite of spirited efforts across all three encounters, losing narrowly both to France (1-0) and Portugal (0-2) prior to conceding an 85th-minute winner away to Croatia three days ago.
It also means a third defeat in their last four matches under head coach Janne Andersson, with a 2-1 victory away to Russia last Thursday the only bright spot among an incredibly tough spell of fixtures. Their recent record away from home can be a source of encouragement, though, having won four in a row (vs Faroe Islands, Malta, Romania and Russia) prior to the Croatia result.
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Portugal Vs Sweden Betting Advice
Fernando Santos, the Portugal head coach, claimed his team showed France too much respect in Sunday’s 0-0 draw in Paris. I suspect that won’t be so much the case here, especially as they know they can beat the Swedes having already done so last month when recording a 2-0 scoreline in Solna. That encounter also marked a third win in the last four head-to-head meetings (W3 L1) for the Portuguese.
Portugal Vs Sweden – Key Facts
- Before last week’s 0-0 draw at home to Spain, Portugal had won five consecutive home matches by a combined aggregate of 17-2. Three of those victories were ‘to nil’.
- Prior to Sunday’s 2-1 defeat away in Croatia, Sweden had won each of their past four away matches whilst conceding only once, albeit most of them were versus inferior opposition.
- Sweden came out on top the last time these nations met in Portugal, for a 2017 friendly which ended 3-2 to the visitors. However, Portugal have won each of the last three competitive meetings.
Of the last five visiting teams to Portugal, only one, Croatia in a resounding 4-1 loss, could breach the rearguard of the home side who had won their past five matches on home soil prior to drawing 0-0 with Spain last week. Therefore this could be another long night for Sweden, who do possess a useful habit of scoring – doing so in eight of their last ten matches – but have netted only once across their three group games so far.
Best Match Odds – Portugal Vs Sweden
Portugal – 3/5 (888Sport)
Draw – 3/1 (Betfair)
Sweden – 11/2 (BetVictor)
