Portugal are kicking off their final preparations for the World Cup with a friendly match against Chile, who continue their rebuild under interim manager Nicolas Cordova after failing to qualify for the tournament for the third consecutive time.
Portugal will remain at home until the last minute, with two friendlies against Chile and Nigeria—two nations that will miss the World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo will be participating in his sixth consecutive World Cup, and this time, Portugal is among the top favourites to win the tournament.
However, Selecao das Quinas’ performance under Roberto Martinez hasn’t always been ideal over the past year, with the team’s main issue being their defensive play. They have conceded goals quite often against far less formidable teams, and we cannot overlook the loss to Ireland in November.
Still, we must also note their triumph in the UEFA Nations League, when Portugal defeated Spain in the final on penalty kicks.
On the other side of the pitch, Nicolas Cordova took over Chile after the team officially lost its chance to qualify for the World Cup. La Roja finished last in the South American qualifiers, with only two wins in 18 matches.
The change, however, has done them good, as Chile have won four of their last five matches. But every one of those matches was against teams outside the Top 35 in the world rankings, so Portugal will definitely be a tough challenge, even in a friendly match.
How the bookies view it: Portugal to extend their streak at home
The bookmakers don’t see Chile winning this match at all, as the odds gap is massive.
You can currently back Portugal at around 1/5, while Chile are available at 10/1. If you think there’s a chance of a draw, you can back it at 17/4.
Recent head-to-head: Portugal haven’t beaten Chile since 1928
Portugal and Chile haven’t faced each other in nearly 10 years, having last clashed in the semifinals of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. Back then, La Roja won on penalties, with the interesting twist being that Portugal missed all three of their penalties.
Previously, the teams played a friendly match in 2011, which ended 1-1, and Portugal’s only victory dates back nearly a century to the 1928 Olympic Games.
Players to watch: The former Manchester United teammates will do it again
Several of Portugal’s stars, particularly those who play for PSG—Ramos, Mendes, Neves, and Vitinha—will miss this match. But even without them, Roberto Martínez has a wealth of world-class players to choose from.
The absence of Goncalo Ramos guarantees Cristiano Ronaldo a starting spot, and he rarely fails to score against weaker opponents. Alternatively, we have to back Bruno Fernandes to put his name on the scoresheet, either as a goalscorer or with an assist, and Bet365 have him at 1/2 to score or assist.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Portugal: Costa, Dalot, Araujo, Inacio, Cancelo, Costa, Silva, Trincao, Fernandes, Neto, Ronaldo
Chile: Vigouroux, Lichnovsky, Maripan, Gomez, Suazo, Pizarro, Loyola, Faundez, Osorio, Altamirano, Tapia
Anything else catch the eye?
Chile have definitely shown improvement, but even that won’t stop Portugal from playing their own brand of football and dominating the match. And we can’t overlook the fact that La Roja conceded four goals against New Zealand and two against Cape Verde.
The odds in favour of the hosts are minimal, but the market for Portugal to score in both halves still has value. Additionally, we think over 2.5 goals for Portugal is worth it.
But given their inconsistency in defense, we’d also bet on BTTS, considering this is a friendly match and Chile need to boost their confidence. Overall, we expect Over 3.5 goals in the match, as Portugal alone could cover the line.
GambleAware