Scotland are back home just in time to host Portugal in their last game in this international break. The Tartan Army are still looking for their first win in Group A1, while the Portuguese are sitting comfortably at the top of the table, so it will be interesting to see if Scotland can cause some damage at home.
This is a crucial game for the standings of the UEFA Nations League Group A1, and Scotland haven’t beaten Portugal since the 80s, so what should we expect from this matchup?
| ℹ️ Tournament: | UEFA Nations League 2024-25, League A, Group A1, Matchday 4 |
| ⚽️ Venue: | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland |
| 🗓️ Date: | 15 October 2024 |
| ⏰ Time: | 6:45 p.m. GMT on Tuesday |
According to the best betting football apps, Scotland are the big home underdogs at 5.50 (9/2). A draw is offered at 4.40 (17/5), while Portugal are the away favorites at 1.60 (3/5) to beat the Tartan Army in the 4th round.
| Standings | Group A1 Teams | Matches Played | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 1st | 3 | 9 |
| Croatia | 2nd | 3 | 6 |
| Poland | 3rd | 3 | 3 |
| Scotland | 4th | 3 | 0 |
The best bookies in Portugal have the Selecao das Quinas as huge favorites to win the group, as they have a perfect score of nine points from three games. Croatia and Poland are fighting for the second qualifying spot, while every match for Scotland is a must-win game now after a very slow start.
The Selecao das Quinas have completely dominated this matchup historically, as in the last nine head-to-head games, Portugal won six, drew twice, and Scotland won once. They have only one official game in the last two decades, which was last month in the same Nations League group, and the Portuguese won at home.
Scotland were very close to getting a draw with Croatia, but a last-minute VAR decision to disallow their equalizing goal was heartbreaking. They have lost all of their three games in the group so far, and they have been in bad form lately, winning only one of their last 15 games in all competitions.
The new Napoli player, Scott McTominay, has been doing great with Scotland in this competition, as he is tied for second on the top scorers list with two goals so far. The Tartan Army’s offense has been more than decent, but they need to improve their defense, which conceded seven goals in three matches.
Portugal are chilling at the top of the group with the full nine points, so they can afford to rest some of their starters in this game. The Portuguese have been excellent since signing with Roberto Martinez as their coach, as they have an 18-4 winning record with him.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored in all of the three games in this group so far, while Bruno Fernandes has either scored or assisted in all matches as well. Rafael Leao has been great in creating a lot of scoring chances, but the defense has been Portugal’s biggest weakness in this tournament.
2 (100%)
0
The best bookmakers in Scotland have some enticing odds on the team to get at least a draw. The Tartan Army lost all of their games with only one goal margin, and we would get a push if that happened again here, but they are playing at home and need a win, so they might even push for more. Portugal conceded in all of their three matches so far, while Scotland scored in all three, so the chances of the Selecao das Quinas getting a big win aren’t that high.
2 (100%)
0
Portugal have gone over the total of cards in two consecutive games, while Scotland are known for having an aggressive playing style. The Tartan Army went over the total in two of their last three home games as well. The first game between them in the group had six cards, and we expect a similar outcome in this important game for Scotland.
2 (100%)
0
Both teams aren’t in their best defensive form right now, as neither of them made one clean sheet in the tournament so far. Scotland will have to keep up with Portugal’s offense to have a chance in this game, so this matchup has the potential to be a high-scoring one. The Portuguese conceded at least four shots on target in three of their last four games, and they struggled defensively against the shaky Polish team, so Scotland will have their chances to score.
Scotland need to keep this game at least close and get a point, and we expect them to perform well at home. Make sure you use our 2024 Portugal vs Scotland betting predictions and bet them at the legal sportsbook in Europe to have more fun watching the game.
