There is going to be a high-stakes clash between Spain and Portugal in the Round of 16 of the Football World Cup on Monday, July 6. This match to be held at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington will seal the ticket to the quarter-finals for both the European giants.
The World Cup history of these two neighboring countries of the Iberian Peninsula has been quite interesting. When these two teams faced each other in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, the match ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a memorable hat-trick in that match. At the 2010 World Cup, Spain defeated Portugal 1–0 in the Round of 16 and went on to win their first World Cup title.
Spain may not have shown its full potential in the group stage of this tournament, but it made its intentions clear by registering a resounding 3-0 win against Austria in the Round of 32.
Mikel Oyarzabal, after scoring two goals against Austria, is now firmly in the race for the ‘Golden Boot’ with 4 goals. Spain’s biggest strength in this World Cup has been their defence, which has not conceded a single goal in the 4 matches played so far. Spain’s young star Lamine Yamal expressed confidence before the match and said, ‘I think we need to continuously improve our game and intensity, but we have no shortage of talent. We know that we do not need to be afraid of any team. We are Spain, and we have to prove it on the field.
On the other hand, Portugal has also shown great spirit. After falling behind in the second half in the match against Croatia, Portugal won 2-1. Gonçalo Ramos, he led the team to victory by scoring the winning goal in stoppage time (injury time). Cristiano Ronaldo scored the equalizing goal through a penalty. This was the 11th goal of his World Cup career, and the special thing is that this is his first goal in the knockout stage.
The post Spain vs Portugal Prediction: Will Ronaldo’s journey end or will Spain’s ‘impenetrable wall’ collapse? Know who has the upper hand! appeared first on Latest.
