Portugal v Croatia Betting Tips – International Friendly, 6th September 7.45pm
Croatia put on a tremendous show over the summer as they finished runners-up at the 2018 World Cup. That was an unexpected run from them and along the way, they beat England in the semi finals. They will meet up with England in the upcoming UEFA Nations League. Before that, they get to test themselves in a friendly against the reigning European champions Portugal. This should be a very interesting friendly. Read our predictions for Portugal v Croatia.
Portugal News and Form
Portugal made it through to the round of sixteen at the 2018 World Cup but there were stopped in their tracks there by Uruguay. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the tournament in great style in a 3-3 draw with Spain but then his influence rapidly faded away. Ronaldo hasn’t been called up for this current squad for this game and their game against Italy in the Nations League on Monday, September 10th. So this will be a test for them without him, who they have naturally relied on so heavily for goals. With twelve international goals, Andre Silva is the only player in the current squad to have made it to double figures for Portugal.
Portugal are actually only W3 D5 L2 in their last ten games, so not exactly the form of European Champions. Because this is just a friendly, a type of game which rarely produces exciting 90 minutes of action, so under 2.5 goals is at 4/7 odds* (Betting Odds were taken on September 2nd, 2018 at 10:20 p.m.). Three of the four previous games between Portugal and Croatia have ended under that goal line so there is a trend there. Portugal are only W2 D2 L1 in their last five international friendly matches, failing to score in two of their last three.
Croatia News and Form
Croatia have raised the bar for themselves and now have to live up to the status of being a World Cup runner-up. Can they sustain that kind of standard or was that just one of those tournaments where everything just came together for them? They did win all three of their group stage matches, but they drew their three knockout stage games ahead of the Final, edging success through two penalty shoot-outs and an extra time win over England in the semi finals.
What that basically says is that there are vulnerabilities there in their defence and Croatia don’t have a clean sheet in any of their last five games. In their last four international friendly matches, they have alternated between a loss and a win, both defeats 2-0 losses actually. In the William Hill correct score market the shortest priced option is the 1-1 draw at 9/2 odds* (Betting Odds were taken on September 2nd, 2018 at 10:20 p.m.).
Portugal v Croatia Head to Head
This will be the fifth meeting between the two nations. Portugal holds a W3 D1 record from those four previous games. Both teams have NOT scored in each of those four previous games between the two nations so there is a trend. The most recent meeting was at Euro 2016 when Portugal struck a 1-0 win in extra time in the round of sixteen.
Portugal v Croatia Betting Odds*
Portugal 11/8
Croatia 19/10
Draw 2/1
* (Betting Odds were taken from William Hill on September 2nd, 2018 at 10:20 p.m.)
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Portugal v Croatia Predictions
Draw: We can’t avoid looking at the draw option in the match outright in games like this. Neither are going to be going great-guns at it, of course, there’s no need to. It’s just a warm up and potentially a chance to look at team selection ahead of the Nations League. Draw.
