Portugal vs Turkey
It is hard to believe that World Cup 2022 will be without at least one of the reigning European champions Italy or the nation whose crown they claimed last summer, Portugal.
Yet that is what the draw has produced, bizarrely to some.
First though, Cristiano Ronaldo and co. have to get past Turkey in this FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final.
Talking Points
If the truth be known, Portugal would probably have been low down on the list of sides Turkey were hoping to draw in these play-offs, especially given the fact that the Selecao have won all five competitive meetings between the nations.
In one corner stands Ronaldo, who broke the world record for international goals during the qualifying campaign and now has 115 to his name.
CR7 heads the talent pool which also includes Roma goalkeeper Rui Patricio, the Manchester United trio of Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes (and Ronaldo), Manchester City stars Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva and Liverpool attacker Diogo Jota.
It’s not all roses for the home side, mind, with Manchester City centre-back Ruben Dias out injured and his team-mate for club and country, full-back Joao Cancelo, suspended, while experienced Porto centre-back Pepe has Covid-19.
They still begin as favourites and will be expected to create World Cup 2022 highlights after the disappointment of missing out on automatic qualification last autumn following a late defeat to Serbia.
In the other corner stands Turkey, who also have potential match-winners of their own. Their main names include Atalanta centre-back Merih Demiral and Leicester City’s Caglar Soyuncu, Marseille winger Cengiz Under, Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu and Lille’s experienced striker Burak Yilmaz.
Since crashing out of Euro 2020 without a single point to their name last summer, Turkey have only suffered one defeat in seven games – although it was a 6-1 humbling at the hands of Holland – and they marched to successive wins over Latvia, Gibraltar and Montenegro to round off Group G. Yet their defence has been far from resolute and they face an uphill task if they are to end their 20-year wait to reach a World Cup.
Reigning European champions Italy (or North Macedonia) await the winners.
After coming so close in qualifying – the Serbia defeat was preceded by a draw at the Republic of Ireland – Portugal will surely not squander this golden opportunity at home again.
History
This is the two teams’ first meeting for a decade. Two goals from Umut Bulut secured a 3-1 Turkish success in their last matchup, which was a friendly in Lisbon.
That was one of only two Turkish victories over Portugal in eight matches going back to their first-ever clash in 1955 – again that was a friendly and resulted in a Turkey win.
When it matters, Portugal have always won, as shown in their Euro 2008 opener when second-half strikes from Pepe and substitute Raul Meireles secured all three points in Geneva.
They also met in the quarter-finals of Euro 2000 in Amsterdam when two goals either side of half-time from Nuno Gomes sealed victory.
That was a match in which Turkey were reduced to 10 men after half an hour and never recovered.
The European Championship has actually thrown up a number of head-to-heads, including at Euro 96 when centre back Fernando Couto scored the only goal with a 66th-minute volley in a match played at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground.
The last time they met in a World Cup qualifier was in 1965 when the legendary Eusébio netted the only goal of the game on Turkish soil – Portugal would go on to reach the semi-finals in the following year’s tournament.
Betting Tip
Portugal have home advantage and that will sway the SBOTOP World Cup 2022 betting odds in their favour even more.
The Selecao are available in a variety of ways including First Half 1X2 @ 1.95, 1X2 @ 1.41, First Half Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 1.95 and Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 2.23.
Turkey are well adrift 1X2 @ 7.60 and Asian Handicap +1.00 @ 2.36, not to mention First Half 1X2 @ 6.80 and First Half Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.36.
The draw is on offer @ 4.30.
A re-run of their last meeting – Correct Score 1-3 – is available @ 170.00 but I’d be more tempted to opt for a repeat of their most recent competitive clash with Correct Score 2-0 @ 5.80.
I am actually going to go for a Portugal success from start to finish with Half Time Full Time Home @ 1.77 my *** prediction.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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