Portugal vs Uzbekistan Predictions – Group K (Match 5)

Portugal have a bit of work to do after dropping points against DR Congo in their opener, and this now feels like a must-win spot for Roberto Martinez’s side.

They had plenty of the ball last week, but nine shots is not exactly what you want from a side stacked with attacking talent. It was a flat result, especially after Portugal had built nicely with three straight friendly wins heading into the tournament.

Uzbekistan, meanwhile, were given a tough welcome to the World Cup in a 3-1 loss to Colombia. There was a nice moment when Abbosbek Fayzullaev found the equaliser in the 60th minute, but outside of that, they found it very tough to get anything going in the final third.

The big concern was the first half, where Uzbekistan failed to record a single touch inside Colombia’s penalty area. That spells trouble against a Portugal side featuring Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be desperate to respond after copping some heat for his performance last week.

Portugal should control this from the outset, and if they are a little sharper in front of goal, they can put this one away comfortably.

Prediction: Portugal (-2 Goals) @ $2.30

Value: Both Teams to Score @ $2.45

Player Prop: Cristiano Ronaldo to Have 3+ Shots on Target @ $1.85