Portugal and Sweden set for UEFA Nations League stalemate
Portugal vs Sweden - 14/10/2020
2449
Portugal head into matchday 4 of the UEFA Nations League atop of League A Group 3 thanks to goal difference. The Portuguese are level on points with France following the teams’ nil-nil draw over the weekend.
Manager Fernando Santos takes his team into the matchday 4 game in Lisbon looking to take three easy points from a poor Sweden national team. Sweden are bottom of Group 3 with zero points from nine possible.
The Swedes are starring relegation from League A in the eyes. Sweden are having a miserable campaign scoring just once and allowing five goals against.
Portugal and Sweden met on matchday 2 in Solna. The Portuguese claimed a 2-0 win thanks to goals on either side of halftime from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sweden’s matchday 3 game against Croatia, played over the weekend, finished 2-1, with the Croatians securing an 84th-minute goal to overcome the Swedes.
Santos’ Portuguese side have a 6W-6D-7L record all time against Sweden. The teams have been historically evenly matched. However, Portugal have dominated the series over the last 34 years and are unbeaten in 10 of their last 11 games versus Sweden.
Portugal’s manager is without Anthony Lopes after he tested positive for COVID-19. His absence will give goalkeeper Rui Patricio the chance to gain his 90th cap.
Santos has no new injury issues but is likely to mix things up with fresh players. This is the third match of the October international break. Players have already played a lot of football since the start of the domestic campaign in September.
Sweden’s Ludwig Augustinsson left the team this week to rejoin Werder Bremen to prepare for the Bundesliga's return. Defender Filip Helander also returned to his club team, Rangers, after sustaining an injury.
This is the last time Portugal and Sweden will meet in the UEFA Nations League 2020. The two sides should be struggling with fitness issues by this time in the tournament. Sweden’s struggles could influence Santos to rest some of his big guns like Ronaldo or Joao Felix.
However, the reigning UEFA Nations League champions need to keep pace with France. On paper, the French do have the more difficult game this week against Croatia.
Wednesday’s game will be the last of the international break with players scrambling to return to their club teams for the weekend. Expect a tired group of players to be on the pitch.
Due to the amount of football played already, this game should end in a stalemate. Sweden will get their first point of the tournament, but it won’t be enough to save their campaign. Expect under 2.5 goals scored.
Home team
Away team
Pred
Correct score
Avg. goals
Weather conditions
Coef.
Score
Live
coef.
UNL
424414
X
0 - 0
1.57
15°
3.84
1.62
3.84
5.80
-1
1
1
3 - 0(2 - 0)
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