Portugal will attempt to advance with a victory as they face off in a thrilling showdown with Uruguay in the second match of the group stage. It's time to continue our World Cup odds series with a Portugal-Uruguay prediction and pick.
Portugal defeated Ghana 3-2 in a thrilling first match last week. Initially, the game dragged on, and neither team scored. Portugal changed that in the 65th minute on a penalty kick when Cristiano Ronaldo hammered a strike above the goalkeeper's fingertips to put Portugal on the board. Significantly, he became the first man to score in five different World Cup tournaments. Ghana tied it soon after and forced Portugal to answer back. Next, they answered the call when Joao Felix glided past the goalie and flung it through for the go-ahead goal. Rafael Leao delivered a fine strike to give Portugal the insurance goal in the 80th minute, proving to be the winner as they allowed another.
Portugal took 11 shots, with five hitting the mark. Additionally, they completed 89 percent of their passes and established a 62 percent possession mark. Portugal also completed 81 percent of their tackles while committing 14 fouls, with two yellow cards. Moreover, they had three corner-kick chances and committed offsides once.
Uruguay played to a scoreless tie with South Korea. Unfortunately, they could not convert any of their chances into a goal. Uruguay took 10 shots, with just one hitting the mark. Additionally, they converted 82 percent of their passes with a 56 percent possession rate. Uruguay established a 63 percent success rate on tackles while committing seven fouls and taking one yellow card. Likewise, they had four corner-kick opportunities that went by the wayside.
Here are the Portugal-Uruguay World Cup odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
World Cup Odds: Portugal-Uruguay Odds
Portugal: -130
Uruguay: +310
Draw: +230
Over 2.5 Goals: +126
Under 2.5 Goals: -154
Why Portugal Will Beat Uruguay
Portugal has some of the best strikers in the game. Ultimately, the world will watch to see what Ronaldo can do next. He had one goal with 19 passes in the opener. Additionally, Bruno Fernandez distributed two assists while completing 51 passes. Felix finished with a goal and 30 passes. Meanwhile, the midfielders played well. Bernando Silva completed 71 passes, while Ruben Neves had 64. Additionally, Otavio had 37 successful passes.
The defense played sloppy and nearly choked away a 3-1 lead. However, they held on to secure the three points. Raphael Guerreiro did not have a tackle or clear but did secure two interceptions. Likewise, Joao Cancelo had three tackles and two clears. Danilo Pereira finished with two tackles, three clears, and three interceptions. Also, Ruben Dias had one tackle and three clears. Goalkeeper Diego Costa allowed two goals. However, he made the one save that ended up preventing a tie.
Portugal will beat Uruguay if they can attack early with their midfielders. Likewise, their defense must play better. The player to stop is Luis Suarez. Thus, they must key in on him and prevent him from breaking loose.
Why Uruguay Will Beat Portugal
Uruguay could have played better in the opener. Unfortunately, they did not find their footing and settled for a draw. While a loss would not eliminate them, it would hinder their chances. Therefore, they must find ways to score.
Darwin Nunez took one shot, but it did not hit the mark. Additionally, he completed 20 passes. Facundo Pellistri did not attempt a single shot but completed 19 passes. Likewise, Suarez also failed to register a shot but made 14 passes.
The midfielders kept this game from going awry. Ultimately, their crisp passes kept the game clean and allowed them to fight. Rodrigo Bentancur did not attempt a shot but did complete 77 passes. Conversely, Federico Valverde attempted four shots, with none hitting the mark. He finished with 63 passes. Finally, Matias Vecino had one shot that hit the mark, the only successful shot on target for Uruguay. He finished with 41 passes.
The defense played stout. Ultimately, their play helped preserve the tie. Martin Caceras finished with two clears. Meanwhile, Gimenez finished with three tackles, three clears, and two interceptions. Diego Godin had six clears and an interception. Likewise, Mathias Olivera had three tackles, two clears, and an interception. Their hard work prevented goalkeeper Sergio Rochet from having to make any saves.
Uruguay will defeat Portugal if Suarez gets going. Moreover, the midfielders and defense must continue to play well to give them the best chance to win.
Final Portugal-Uruguay Prediction & Pick
Ronaldo and Suarez are two of the best players in the world. Thus, this will be an exciting showdown. Uruguay must keep this game tight and avoid making mistakes. Significantly, it could mean another draw for them, while the Portuguese team wonders how they allowed the victory to slip away.
Final Portugal-Uruguay Prediction & Pick: Draw: +230
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