Portugal and Spain face off here in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Arlington, Texas. Portugal came second in their group behind Colombia, while Spain topped Group H with a draw and two wins.
Portugal progressed from their group in second place, despite some shaky performances. They drew twice in the group — against DR Congo and Colombia, and they won 5-0 against Uzbekistan. They defeated Croatia in the round of 32.
Spain were held 0-0 by Cape Verde in their opening game of the World Cup, but have looked very impressive since. They won their final two group matches against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, before beating Austria 3-0 in the previous round.
Kick-off is 8pm UK on Monday 6 July at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Portugal vs Spain Bet Builder — 18/1 with bet365
| Leg | Odds |
|---|---|
| Spain to Win | 10/11 |
| Both Teams to Score | 4/6 |
| Mikel Oyarzabal Over 1.5 Shots on Target | 7/4 |
| Joao Cancelo Over 1.5 Fouls | 11/10 |
| Combined four-fold | 18/1 |
Spain to Win @ 10/11
I fancy Spain to win this one on Monday evening against Portugal. The Spaniards have been one of the most impressive sides at the World Cup so far, especially following their draw with Cape Verde, and they’re third favourites to win the competition at 6/1. Portugal came from behind and were reliant on a penalty and a 94th minute winner to overcome Croatia last time out, and Croatia also had two goals disallowed for offside. Apart from their hammering of Uzbekistan, they’re yet to hit a high standard. Spain will be their toughest opponents yet, and I think Luis de la Fuente’s side will come out on top here.
Both Teams to Score @ 4/6
Portugal and Spain are two giants of international football, and I think both teams to score is a good bet here. Portugal have scored eight goals in their four games so far, conceding three, while Spain have bagged eight, but are yet to concede. The last time these two met — in the final of the Nations League — it ended in a 2-2 draw, with Portugal winning on penalties. Both have very good attacking players, and will go all out to advance to the quarterfinals. I think both teams to score is a good bet in this one.
Mikel Oyarzabal Over 1.5 Shots on Target @ 7/4
Odds of 7/4 are very generous for Mikel Oyarzabal to have two or more shots on target against Portugal. The Real Sociedad striker has scored four in four at the World Cup so far, with a total of 17 shots, eight of which have been on target. That gives him an average of exactly two shots on target per game. If that form is to continue, and Spain continues to create a lot of chances, this selection will land here, and I expect that to happen.
Joao Cancelo Over 1.5 Fouls @ 11/10
I think Joao Cancelo will make at least a couple of fouls here. I’m opting for fouls in this one, as the World Cup has been refereed very leniently so far, with few bookings being handed out, particularly evidence in the match between France and Paraguay. Cancelo has been carded twice in his last 12 for Portugal, however, despite not being booked in his four appearances at the World Cup. In those four matches, he has made five fouls, an average of more than one per game. It’ll be his hardest task yet, facing the likes of Yamal and Oyarzabal of Spain, and I think there’s a good chance he will make at least two fouls.
Alternative Bet — Mikel Oyarzabal to Score at 29/20
Taking Oyarzabal to score at odds of 29/20 reduces the odds of this bet builder to 12/1. He has scored 13 in his last 13 matches for Spain, and also bagged 18 goals in all competitions last season for Real Sociedad. I think there’s a good chance of him scoring here.
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Jake has been on the thatsagoal.com team for over 5 years, and he is the person responsible for the bet builders across the Premier League and Champions League. His background in journalism means the articles are perfectly written, and each prediction is explained with stats and reasoning to back them up. There have been countless winners from Jake, including a 66/1 win in the FA Cup final when Manchester City were beaten by Crystal Palace.