- Portugal is predicted to be a 1.5-goal favorite against Uzbekistan.
- Against DR Congo, Portugal attempted only one shot in the first half.
- My Portugal vs Uzbekistan prediction is the Total Under 2.5 Goals (+138).
Portugal will try to bounce back from a 1-1 draw on Matchday 1 against Uzbekistan.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s side struggled as a lofty favorite against DR Congo. After taking the lead inside 10 minutes, Portugal failed to generate many chances afterward in a 1-1 draw.
Uzbekistan fell 3-1 against Colombia on Matchday 1. The Asian outfit fell behind 1-0 at halftime before an eventful second half left the team in last place.
Check out the World Cup odds and my Portugal vs Uzbekistan prediction.
Portugal vs Uzbekistan: World Cup Odds
Uzbekistan vs Portugal Prediction
Assuming Cristiano Ronaldo starts for Portugal against Uzbekistan on Tuesday, my Portugal vs Uzbekistan prediction is the Total Under 2.5 Goals (+138).
Portugal left me so unimpressed on Matchday 1 against DR Congo. Tactically, the team has built its attacking strategy around the 41-year-old Ronaldo, who offers no goal threat.
It showed against a Congo defense that, entering the match, posted some inconsistent defensive metrics. Still, Portugal created only 0.65 expected goals as 1.5-goal favorites.
Uzbekistan surrendered three to Colombia, but metrics rated the output unlucky for the defense. The World Cup debutants surrendered only 1.6 expected goals and 1.4 post-shot xG.
Maybe it’s crazy to say right now, but I rate the Colombia attack ahead of Portugal’s.
If there’s a silver lining for Portugal, the defense offered good resistance in Ruben Dias’ absence. Congo created a mere 0.9 expected goals and 0.97 post-shot xG.
Dias could return in time for Matchday 2, which would bolster their defense. Plus, the Uzbekistan attack struggled to progress forward against Colombia.
Although the attack cleared one xG and post-shot xG, they managed only five touches in Colombia’s penalty area. Only one attempt cleared 0.5 expected goals (their goal).
Portugal’s defense represents an upgrade in class from Colombia’s unit. Those factors lead me to predict another cagey match between these teams in Houston.
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