Portugal is under pressure after failing to win their first match and will be happy to be up against an Uzbekistan side playing just their second World Cup match ever.
But this last week or so has shown us that few games at this World Cup are likely to be straightforward, so it could be a tougher game than it at first seems.
Put Your Bucks on Bruno?
Bruno Fernandes may not be the most high-profile player in this Portugal side (we all know who that is), but these days he’s arguably the most important one, as the heartbeat of the team in midfield, chief creator and regular goalscorer.
And it’s the middle one: creating goals. That we’re interested in here. 25 assists last season takes some doing, but few are better than him at it, whether from set pieces or open play, and he could well be good for an assist here.
- Key Stat: Last season, Bruno Fernandes produced 21 assists in 35 league appearances for Manchester United, the most ever by a player in a Premier League season, also adding four assists while on Portugal duty, to go with 13 goals for club and country.
- Best Bet: Bruno Fernandes to get an assist
- Odds: 2.30 (at the time of writing)
Portugal
Portugal will have to drastically improve if they’re going to show why they were one of the favourites coming into this tournament. Another repeat of the poor performance against DR Congo and they’ll be closer to getting a flight home than they are to getting to the semi-finals, as many would expect them to.
They threw away a one-goal lead in that Congo match and were shell-shocked when conceding at the end of the first half, never really recovering from it.
With a dangerous Colombia up next in their final Group match, they won’t want to leave things to that one, so anything but a win here would be a disaster for them and put them under huge pressure. Big performances are expected here from the Cristiano Ronaldo/Bruno Fernandes duo.
- Player to watch: Bruno Fernandes - 2.5 to score anytime / 2.3 to get an assist
Uzbekistan
A 3-1 loss to Colombia wasn’t a good start to their first taste of World Cup football, but some nerves were understandable, and they put up a good fight until Colombia’s second goal stopped them in their tracks.
Abbosbek Fayzullaev of Istanbul Buyuksehir scored in that match despite not featuring much for his club at all last season.
But their man occupies the heart of their defence. Abdukodir Khusanov of Manchester City had a good season under the departed Pep Guardiola, and his physicality, speed and tackling make him one of the toughest defenders around. He’ll have plenty on his hands here with Ronaldo, Pedro Neto and co looking to rectify things.
- Player to watch: Abdukodir Khusanov – 3.5 to be shown a card / 2.1 to commit two or more fouls.
Did You Know?
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently on a run of 10 consecutive matches without a goal at major international tournaments (World Cup and European Championship combined). This is the longest such drought of his Portugal career, which also included missing a penalty at the Euros two years ago.
If they get to the knockout rounds, don’t expect him to score at that stage; he’s never done so at a World Cup despite this being his sixth appearance at them.
