UEFA European Championship - Portugal VS Slovenia Prediction

UEFA European Championship - Portugal VS Slovenia
Match Time: 02-07-2024 03:00 Tuesday (GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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Team Analysis
Under the guidance of manager Roberto Martinez, Portugal confidently progressed through the group stage at Euro 2024, securing their spot in the knockouts. However, their journey wasn't devoid of challenges. They struggled initially against the Czech Republic but managed to secure a hard-fought victory. However, their group stage campaign ended on a sour note with a 0-2 defeat against Georgia in the last game. Typically a significant contributor for Portugal, superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to establish a goal-scoring presence in the tournament, so it's expected he will step up for this crucial match.

Slovenia, managed by Matjaz Kek, emerged as one of the standout surprises of the tournament. Despite featuring in a tough group, they managed to finish undefeated, securing draws in all their matches. Slovenia adopted a primarily defensive strategy throughout, keeping possession stats low except for their game against Serbia. Their performance against England and Denmark demonstrated they could contend, even scoring against the latter. Slovenia enters the knockout stage with an air of unpredictability, but they face squad issues, notably the absence of key defender Eric Janza due to suspension.

Head-to-Head
The teams met for the first time this year in March, in a friendly match. Portugal, not at full strength, suffered a 0-2 defeat against Slovenia. This marked their first loss under Roberto Martinez's management.

Odds Analysis
In precisely matching their aggressive defense to Portugal's attacking flair, Slovenia's best chance to secure an outcome would be deploying a deep defensive block. This strategy notably troubled Portugal in matches against the Czech Republic and Georgia. It's expected that Roberto Martinez's side may not score early, suggesting a need for a patient approach to break down Slovenia's defense. Despite the anticipated challenge, the expectation is for Portugal to achieve their goal and secure a victory, possibly with a 2-0 scoreline. The odds to consider here focus on Portugal’s expected dominance in possession, which should result in them generating a significant number of corner kicks.

Pick: Portugal Over 6.5 corners