Portugal vs Sweden
You have to go back to 1984 to find the last time Sweden defeated Portugal.
Since then, nine football games between these countries have ended with four Portuguese victories and five draws – most notably the 2014 play-off double header when Cristiano Ronaldo edged out Zlatan Ibrahimovic to ensure his nation qualified for the World Cup.
Since then, of course, Zlatan has bowed out of the international game and that is why betting odds once more favour the hosts to prevail in the Estadio dos Barreiros.
Fresh from a 3-0 victory over Hungary in Lisbon which further boosted their World Cup qualification hopes, the European champions may just have unearthed a new face to take the goalscoring pressure off their Captain Marvel.
Enter Andre Silva who has five goals in six games for his country, as well as 20 in 37 this term for FC Porto.
Of course, no prizes for guessing who grabbed the other two – including his 70th international goal – in the Hungary game.
This, remember, against a country which held Portugal to a 3-3 draw in last summer’s European Championship before Fernando Santos’ men kicked into gear.
That’s nine goals in four international matches now for the master, with Silva an able colleague alongside to help ease some of the goalscoring burden.
If Portugal still have their tallisman, Sweden are trying to find a new one – and there are glimmers they may have some joy.
Step forward Emil Forsberg who has caught the eye in the Bundesliga for surprise package RB Leipzig this season and added a double as Sweden saw off Belarus.
The odds clearly favour the hosts, 1X2 Portugal @ 1.62 compared to 1X2 Sweden @ 5.60, but this international may be closer than people think.
Don’t rule out a 1X2 draw which is priced @ 3.50.
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
