- What: Portugal vs. Uruguay, 2022 FIFA World Cup, Group H
- When: Monday, November 28, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. EST
- Where: Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar
Cristiano Ronaldo will look to put all of his Manchester United drama behind him as he aims to lead Portugal to a critical victory over Uruguay during the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stages. After picking up a 3-2 win vs. Ghana in their World Cup opener, Ronaldo and Co. will look to defeat Uruguay, which is coming off a 0-0 draw vs. South Korea. These are two of the favorites to escape Group H, so this matchup will be pivotal toward the outcome of the group.
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Portugal vs. Uruguay Odds
Heading into the matchup on Monday, Portugal is considered the favorite. Portugal (+105) is expected to take care of business vs. Uruguay (+265), and the spread represents that too, leaning -0.5 towards Portugal at (+108). Additionally, the total is set for 2.5 goals, leaning towards the under (-112), while a draw in the match comes in at (+245).
Portugal Best Bets
It's hard to count out Cristiano Ronaldo from any tournament. One of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo will be looking to help Portugal pick up a win over Uruguay after the victory vs. Ghana in their first game of the 2022 World Cup. Ronaldo and Co. were solid in front of the net on Thursday in the 3-2 win over Ghana.
While there are questions to be answered defensively, Portugal didn't falter in the attacking third. A second-half penalty awarded to Ronaldo opened the goalscoring floodgates, as all five of the game's goals came in the second half. After Ronaldo tucked away his penalty, Joao Felix and Rafael Leao added to Portugal's tally, helping secure a win over Ghana.
Ronaldo now is the all-time leader in international goals, not just for Portugal, but in world football. With 118 goals for his country, Ronaldo became the first player in men's football history to score in five separate World Cups after adding to his tally on Thursday.
In terms of pre-World Cup form, Portugal had some mixed results. They enjoyed 4-0 wins over Nigeria and the Czech Republic, but were shut out in 1-0 defeats against Spain and Switzerland. Still, this is a team with loads of experience on both offense and defense, and can also use its incredible speed to open up the Uruguay defense and find unique lanes to secure chances on goal. They did exactly that vs. Ghana, particularly in the second half.
Now, Portugal turns its attention to Uruguay. Portugal will look to win the battle in the attacking third against Uruguay's strong defense. After a strong offensive showing in their World Cup opener, Portuga faces a tougher task vs. the Uruguay squad, who did not concede in their first game against South Korea. Still, I think Ronaldo and Co. have enough to get the job done, so I'm going to back them with Portugal Money Line at +105.
Uruguay Best Bets
Uruguay opened up its World Cup journey with a matchup against Heung Son Min and South Korea. The result of that game, a 0-0 draw, will have Uruguay eager to make the most of what figures to be their most difficult group-stage matchup. Portugal will be a tough matchup for the Uruguayan defense, which is headlined by Jose Gimenez, Sebastian Coates, and captain Diego Godin.
The loss of Ronaldo Araujo to injury is a big blow, but they'll have to cope against Ronaldo and Portugal. In the attacking third, Uruguay's forwards feature stars such as Luis Suarez and Darwin Nunez, the former of whom has already left his mark on the World Cup, while the ladder is still hoping to make a name for himself on the international scene. Suarez is Uruguay's all-time leading goalscorer with 68 in his career.
Against South Korea, Uruguay did not register a single shot on target. This lackluster offensive display will not suffice against a team like Portugal, who are going to be more punishing with the ball. Keeping track of Portugal's offense will be the key focal point for Uruguay, who will aim to keep Ronaldo off the scoresheet. They managed to do that against South Korea's Heung Min Son, but Ronaldo is a different challenge with a better supporting cast.
Uruguay will hope to build up some attacks through the midfield, which they struggled to do against South Korea. Despite failing to score against South Korea and now needing to up their offensive aggression, I still can't see Uruguay abandoning its defensive mentality. I'm expecting Uruguay to play physical football, but don't foresee a high-scoring game. Because of that, I'm going to bet Total Goals Under 2.5 at -112.
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