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Portugal will welcome Sweden to the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques in an international friendly on Thursday.
The hosts will play for the first time in 2024 and in their previous outing, they registered a 2-0 win over Iceland in their last match of the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers. They finished at the top of the Group J table, winning all 10 games in the qualifiers.
The visitors, meanwhile, will play for the second time in 2024. They met Estonia in a friendly in January, recording a 2-1 home win. They narrowly missed out on qualification for the Euro 2024, failing to make it to the main event for the first time in the 21st century.
The hosts will conclude the ongoing international break with a friendly against Slovakia while the visitors will take on Albania next week.
Portugal vs Sweden Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have squared off 20 times in all competitions since 1955. They have been evenly matched in these meetings with seven wins apiece and six games ending in draws.
- The hosts have suffered just one loss in their last 12 meetings against the visitors and registered a 3-0 win when they last met in the UEFA Nations League group stage in 2020.
- The hosts have kept five clean sheets in their last eight meetings against the visitors.
- Portugal head into the match on a 10-game winning run, keeping nine clean sheets.
- Sweden have suffered just one loss in their last five games across all competitions, recording three wins.
- The visitors have just three wins in their last 13 away games in all competitions, suffering eight losses and failing to score in six games.
- Interestingly, just two of Portugal's seven wins in this fixture have been registered at home.
- Three of the last four meetings between them have produced over 2.5 goals.
Portugal vs Sweden Prediction
A Seleção had a 100% record in 2023, scoring 36 goals in 10 games while conceding just twice, and will look to build on that form. They play for the first time this year and might be a bit rusty. Nonetheless, they are unbeaten in their last eight international friendlies, keeping six clean sheets, and are strong favorites.
Roberto Martínez will be without the services of Diogo Dalot, João Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otávio, Rúben Neves, Vitinha, and João Félix for the first friendly of the international break, with the players set to join up at their training camp next week. Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has also been rested by Martinez.
Raphael Guerreiro and Francisco Trincão have been included in the 24-man squad for this match but they are doubts following minor injuries.
Blågult have just one win in their last four away games in all competitions. Interestingly, they are on an 11-game winning run in friendlies. They have failed to score in three of their last four away meetings against the hosts and might struggle here.
Head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson will be without Hugo Larsson in the ongoing international break after the midfielder picked up a minor injury.
Considering the current form of the two teams and Portugal's goalscoring capacity, they are expected to eke out a narrow win.
Prediction: Portugal 2-1 Sweden
Portugal vs Sweden Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Portugal to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Viktor Gyökeres to score or assist any time - Yes
