World Cup 2022: Clash of Styles when Portugal meet Switzerland 

Portugal vs Switzerland

Two of Europe’s most consistent sides come face to face at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday when Portugal and Switzerland battle for a place in the World Cup 2022 quarter finals. 

Fernando Santos’ Portugal reached the Round of 16 by winning Group H, despite losing their final game to South Korea, while Switzerland beat Serbia 3-2 to come second in Group G, level on six points with tournament favourites Brazil. The latest World Cup 2022 betting odds reckon the Selecao will make it to the quarter finals but, ranked sixth in the list of tournament favourites, they are not a shoe in. 

Only six places separate the two nations in the FIFA World Rankings, Portugal in eighth place while Switzerland are 14^th and we are set for a battle royal between two contrasting styles. The Selecao have a wealth of offensive talent and ball playing defenders while Switzerland have been one of the toughest nuts to crack in world football over the past few years.

But Murat Yakin’s side has goals in it, as proved against Serbia, and makes this one of the most fascinating clashes of the Round of 16.   

Talking Points

Ronaldo sure to start for Portugal  

Cristiano Ronaldo is rarely far away from the football headlines (on and off the pitch); and the Portuguese legend was in the World Cup 2022 news this week when the TV cameras seemed to pick him up using some fruity language in the direction of his head coach as he was substituted after 65 minutes of the loss to South Korea. The former Real Madrid man claims he was directing his words at a Korean player and not, in fact, Santos.

Either way CR7 is certain to start in what could be his last appearance at a World Cup finals, should Portugal have a bad day, and he’ll be marked by Manchester City centre back Manuel Akanji who intends to deny his opponent the room to work his magic, saying: “Even though he’s older now, he’s an incredible goal machine. You can’t give him in any space in the penalty area. When he gets the ball, the ball is usually inside. You have to be very close to him.”        

Of course, Portugal have plenty other attacking talents in their armoury and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has been one of the standout players in the group stages, while Akanji’s club mate Bernardo Silva is one of the most accomplished attacking midfielders in the game and the young duo of Rafael Leao and Joao Felix can be scintillating on their days.

This attack will test Switzerland’s defence to the full.   

Set Pieces can work for Switzerland 

While Switzerland are renowned for their organisational strength, head coach Yakin will be plotting how he can guide his players through to the quarter finals; and he will have noted how Portugal struggled to defend set pieces in their 2-1 defeat to South Korea on Friday. If his team can win enough free kicks and corners then Portugal could be in trouble with the delivery of Xherdan Shaqiri and the thunderbolt strikes of Granit Xhaka to deal with.     

The Swiss showed their teeth in a bad tempered clash with Serbia on Friday, eventually coming out on top after going behind in a frantic first half. Shaqiri gave Switzerland a lead in the 20^th minute, but goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic turned the tie on its head.  At that point Serbia were through, but Switzerland showed all their quality and steel to come through, as Breel Embolo scored his second goal of the tournament and Remo Freuler rounded off a brilliant team move to win the game.

History

Portugal have enjoyed plenty of success in recent years, as European Champions in 2016 and UEFA Nations League winners in 2019, but their best effort at a World Cup was way back in 1966 when the Selecao reached the semi-finals.

Switzerland reached the quarter finals on three occasions, in 1934, 1938 and 1954 and this current crop of players made the quarter finals at Euro 2020, as well as reaching the semi finals of the 2019 Nations League.  

With four wins and two defeats each over the past six games, there is nothing to choose between these teams in terms of current form. And they have shared the spoils on the eight occasions they have encountered each other with three wins each and two draws. 

Portugal and Switzerland met twice in June in the UEFA Nations League with two very different outcomes, a 4-0 win for the Selecao in Portugal followed by a 1-0 victory for the Swiss in Geneva.   

Betting Tip

In the last game of the Round of 16, Portugal are the odds on favourites, at a SBOTOP price of at 1.97 while Switzerland are at 3.75 to win the game.

It’s going to be a belter and I genuinely believe this match could go either way with a 1-1 draw at 5.60 looking pretty good as an outside bet.

 

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