Euro 2020: Group B Big Guns Clash in Lisbon

Euro 2020: Group B Big Guns Clash in Lisbon

Portugal vs Ukraine

Portugal is the place to be on Friday, to see the reigning European Champions take a Euro 2020 bow at the Stadio Da Luz in Lisbon, where Ukraine is the visitor.

It promises to be a fascinating and hard fought tussle between Fernando Santos’ hosts and Andriy Schevchenko’s in form Ukraine. Both teams will have high hopes of going deep into the competition and each will want to make a strong start.

Ukraine could turn out to be a good bet to, at least, progress from the qualifiers and, after they lifted the 2016 trophy in spectacular fashion, we’re not about to ignore Portugal in our Euro 2020 predictions. They are aiming to be only the second nation to win successive European Championships, which would match Spain’s feat in 2008 and 2012.

Talking Points

This game is a good early marker. In a group containing Serbia, Lithuania and Luxembourg the likely qualifiers will come from three teams; these two and Serbia. Portugal is the clear favourite with a FIFA Ranking of six, while Ukraine and Serbia sit side by side in 30^th and 31^st. Luxembourg and Lithuania, at 87 and 132 will do very well to avoid the bottom two spots.

Portugal’s creative muscle

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo will never be far from the Euro 2020 news of course, but he has a star studded supporting cast, with some of the top players in the Portuguese league at FC Porto and Benfica, as well as big names from the Premier League and La Liga.

Bernardo Silva is having an impressive season at Manchester City. Favourites in each competition they are in, the Sky Blues are chasing an historic quadruple and Silva is a key player. He’s an important fixture in Portugal’s attack too, scoring the crucial winner in a UEFA Nations League Group 3 match against Poland.

Midfield powerhouse William Carvalho is having a super season at Real Betis as Los Verdiblancos chase Europa League football. And he is likely to line up alongside Wolves creative duo Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho, while their club mate Rui Patricio will be the last line of defence in goal.

Ukraine’s Samba star

So which Ukrainian players should the hosts watch out for? Well, Shevchenko has moved swiftly to register Shakhtar Donetsk’s 31 year old Brazilian striker Junior Moraes after he was granted a Ukraine passport. He could well be the visitors’ most potent attacking threat, and a useful piece in the jigsaw Shevchenko has been putting together, after Ukraine missed out on the 2018 World Cup.

His team has developed some useful consistency, losing only one of ten games in the calendar year and winning their Nations League group with a game to spare. And that means Shevchenko’s side has been promoted to League A, as well as securing at least a Euro 2020 qualification playoff spot.

If his side is to make a good start to this campaign then he’ll be relying on a strong defence, with the likes of Shakhtar centre back Serhiy Kryvstov performing well in 2018.

History

So what can we base our SBOBET tips on for this game?

Well this is a clash of two teams on good form. Portugal was unbeaten in its inaugural group appearance in the UEFA Nations League, seeing off Italy and Poland and hasn’t lost in six games, or in the last nine home matches.

Santos’ side faces Switzerland in the Nations League semi-final and will hope to add a new European title to its trophy cabinet.

Ukraine did well too, winning three and losing one to win promotion to League A.

The last time these two teams met in competition was in the World Cup 1998 qualifiers where each side recorded a victory over the two games.

Betting Tip

2-3 goals @1.86

Ukraine should provide a good test for Fernando Santos’ side, but the visitors aren’t in Lisbon just to make up the numbers. They have only suffered one loss in 2018 and that when their Nations League group had been successfully sewn up.

But Portugal is at 1.42 to win the game, while Ukraine is at 7.40 and the draw is at 4.20. Home advantage will play a part as the hosts have been successful in Lisbon in recent times, and the stage is set for Ronaldo and Silva to strut their stuff.

I think this will be a close fought match, with probably just a single goal in it and Portugal’s star quality making the difference.

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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