World Cup 2022 Portugal vs Uruguay and Predictions

Group H continues with Portugal hosting Uruguay at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in the late game on November 28th.

Portugal manager Fernando Santos was pleased to see his side get off to a winning start and he will be hoping to put all talk of Cristiano Ronaldo firmly behind him ahead of this second Group H contest. His side were pedestrian throughout the first half, however, they showed enough quality in the final third to take all three points. Nevertheless, they are unlikely to be gifted as many opportunities here. 

Uruguay manager Diego Alonso has been forced to defend his team selections following his side’s goalless draw with South Korea. He has faced up to questions about his formation during the goalless draw which saw a disjointed front three struggle to make headway against a solid South Korean defence. Alonso pointed to the fact that his side hit the woodwork twice during the game, however, he may be forced to have a rethink ahead of this tough-looking tie. 

Portugal have been priced up as the favourites with 10Bet and Fernando Santos’ side will be expected to collect three points here. Nevertheless, Uruguay are an extremely tough side to beat ad are likely to tempt many punters at 3/1.

• Portugal and Uruguay faced one another at the 2018 World Cup with the South American side progressing to the quarter finals courtesy of a 2-1 victory. Edison Cavani scored both goals in that match.
• Portugal – Although Fernando Santos is viewed as a relatively safety-first kind of manager, this Portugal side have been involved in some hugely entertaining matches. Their three group games at Euro 2020 produced 13 goals and they were also involved in some high-scoring games during the Nations League during the summer.
• Uruguay – Diego Alonso was appointed as the Uruguay’s new head coach in January 2022 and during his ten matches in charge, his side have conceded just twice. Against South Korea, they rarely looked flustered and although he’s been accused of being overly-defensive at times, his teams always appear to be in control of games.

Portugal have been priced up as short-price favourites for this tie, but it should be a lot closer than the odds suggest. Uruguay were criticized for their attacking output on Thursday, however, they will not go down without a fight and their grizzled defence which includes Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin will be up for the fight here.

URUGUAY + HANDICAP

Uruguay restricted South Korea during their opening Group H encounter and Diego Alonso’s record suggests that this could be another tight contest. Portugal failed to get going until the second half of their victory over Ghana and with all the recent media coverage surrounding Ronaldo, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them struggle to find their rhythm during the early stages of this one.

HALF TIME RESULT – DRAW

Although Luis Suarez and Darwin Nunez attract the majority of the attention in the goalscorer market, it was Federico Valverde who caught the eye on Thursday. The Real Madrid man has enjoyed a remarkable season in La Liga and he looked full of confidence and passion. He will look to drag his side into the round of 16.

FEDERICO VALVERDE – ANYTIME GOALSCORER

Portugal

Portugal have a hugely talented pool of players to pick from, however, it’s Cristiano Ronaldo who continues to dominate the headlines. When it comes to on-field matters, Bruno Fernandes was the standout performer against Ghana claiming two assists. 

Key Player/s: Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes. 

Team news: Otavia was perhaps a surprise inclusion in the starting XI, however, he picked up an injury and is unlikely to start this one. He will probably be replaced by William Carvalho. Rafael Leao looked extremely lively from the bench and found the back of the net. He could have forced his way into Santos’ plans here. 

Predicted Lineup: Diogo Costa, Joao Cancelo, Pepe, Danilo Pereira, Raphael Guerreiro, Otavio, Ruben Neves, Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix

Uruguay

Uruguay have a nice blend of youth and experience in their squad and Diego Alonso will be aiming to keep the majority of his talented squad happy throughout this tournament. 

Key Player/s: Darwin Nunez, Federico Valverde. 

Team news: Diego Alonso could opt to drop Facudo Pellestri, who struggled to get into the game against South Korea. He also may opt to recall Lucas Torreira into midfield as he looks to find the balance between defence and attack. 

Predicted Lineup: Sergio Rochet, Jose Gimenez, Diego Godin, Mathias Oliveira , Matias Vecino, Rodrigo Bentacour, Federico Valverde, Nicolas de la Cruz, Darwin Nunez, Luis Suarez

This is easily Portugal’s toughest match of the group stage and they do look a little short in the betting. They weren’t completely convincing o Thursday and could struggle to beat a streetwise Uruguay side who are very well-organised and also possess a threat going forward.

Bet on Uruguay +1 Handicap