More joy for Luis de la Fuente’s La Roja.
The battle for Iberia will pop off the page for many as the standout fixture of the last 16 at this year’s World Cup. This is a truly tantalising affair with no shortage of superstar quality on display.
It will be the first time the two sides meet each other since last summer’s UEFA Nations League final, where Portugal won on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Many may remember the last time they met in a World Cup, which was a group opener in 2018 that played out as an exciting 3-3 where a certain Cristiano Ronaldo levelled the score late with his only free-kick goal at a major tournament.
PP trader Kyle Byrne has looked into this one and has picked out three picks, including one player pick covered by Paddy’s Super Sub offer, combined into a tidy Bet Builder. So, let’s get their Portugal v Spain tips.
Spain to win
Mikel Oyarzabal first goalscorer
Portugal goalkeeper to make 4+ saves
A Bet Builder with these selections pays out at approximately 11/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD THEM TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
WHEN: Monday, July 6th, 8pm
WHERE: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
TV: BBC One/iPlayer/RTE 2
Spain to win
Spain entered this tournament as favourites in many people’s books but have perhaps been overlooked since then, following their stalemate in their opener v Cape Verde, which many viewed as underwhelming; however, given what we now know about the African debutants, we can probably disregard these concerns. Since then, Spain have looked nothing but comfortable and commanding, and we’ve not seen any of the defensive vulnerabilities that have been an issue for front-runners like France and Argentina.
There is a classic American sports adage coined by legendary American football coach Bear Bryant that goes “defence wins championships”. Spanish Manager Luis de la Fuente has been instrumental since taking over the role following Spain’s exit from the Qatar World Cup, cultivating a strong defensive identity and leading Spain to 10 wins and one draw at major tournaments. He’s been with the core of this side for a long time, having successfully managed them at the underage level (2019 Under-21 European Champions).
Other than hosts Mexico, Spain are the only nation not to concede a goal yet at the tournament, which continues a trend from qualifying where Spain didn’t concede a goal until their final inconsequential game against Turkey, and I don’t expect that to change as concerns still linger over aspects of Portugal’s team selection (we’re looking at you, Cristiano).
Mikel Oyarzabal first goalscorer
Mikel Oyarzabal enters this game having scored four goals and an assist in the competition already. The Real Sociedad man has an outrageous record for his nation, with 17 goals in 16 starts, and he opened the scoring against Austria in the Last 32. Oyarzabal averages 0.92 goals per 90 minutes for Spain and will be eager to keep in touch with the Golden Boot front-runners.
Portugal goalkeeper to make 4+ saves
Diogo Costa is one of the world’s best goalkeepers and has shown as much in this World Cup so far. As club captain at Porto, he led the Blue and White to a league title and recorded 27 clean sheets last season. Costa had had a fairly relaxed start to the tournament, but did have to step up over the last two games as Portugal faced stronger sides, making 11 saves against Croatia and Colombia. Spain will have no problems creating chances, and I expect them to prevail here, but the Portuguese mainstay will be more than capable of keeping out his fair share.
Portugal v Spain Tips
Spain to win
Mikel Oyarzabal first goalscorer
Portugal goalkeeper to make 4+ saves
A Bet Builder with these selections pays out at approximately 11/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD THEM TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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