Slovakia vs Portugal prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-09-07 18:45.
Slovakia (FIFA rank #47) made a dream start to their UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign (ECQ) by remaining unbeaten in their first four matches (W3, D1). They dominated almost every stat but the final score in a narrow 1-0 win over Liechtenstein earlier this year, which placed them inside the top two of Group J and left qualification for a third consecutive European Championship finals firmly in their own hands.
The Falcons are also unbeaten in each of their last five home ECQ matches (W3, D2), a run that includes four consecutive clean sheets. That record faces its stiffest challenge yet with a visit from Portugal (FIFA rank #9), an opponent Slovakia have never beaten across four previous H2Hs (D1, L3). The one instance they avoided defeat did come on home soil, while it was also the only time they’ve scored against Portugal, so Francesco Calzona’s men will likely need their shooting boots and the crowd behind their backs if they’re to come out victorious.
That could be far easier said than done, as since Roberto Martinez replaced Fernando Santos as Portugal manager, the team has not conceded a single goal! Four consecutive wins ‘to nil’ have the Seleção at the summit of Group J, and victory over their closest challengers here would move them one enormous step closer to reaching the 2024 finals in Germany.
The Euro 2016 champions have breezed through qualifying in recent times, losing just one of their last 19 ECQ matches (W16, D2) – a sequence that includes six consecutive clean sheets. They’ve had little trouble on their travels either, as since October 2011, Portugal have lost just one ECQ outing away from home (2-1 v Ukraine, October 2019), winning nine of ten such matches since (D1).
Key battle: Having played every minute of the Ligue 1 season so far with PSG, Milan Škriniar could be crucial to Slovakia’s chances, particularly as they’re unbeaten in each of his last five internationals (W2, D3). He’s got the unenviable task of trying to tie down Cristiano Ronaldo, with Portugal’s all-time record scorer in electric form for Al Nassr, directly contributing to 11 goals in his last four appearances (G6, A5).
Hot stat: Portugal have scored beyond the 85th minute in each of their last three ECQ away matches, two of which were netted by Cristiano Ronaldo.