LeeEvans Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Uruguay (1 Group A) v Portugal(2 Group B)-6/30/18 Euro 2016 Champions Portugal face off against WC 2010 semi-finalists Uruguay in what most people expect to be a tight and likely physical encounter between two teams that play a similar style of play. Portugal arrived in the knockout round after fairly pedestrian play and on the back of Cristiano Ronaldo's brilliance. Ronaldo will be looking to add to his four goals so far this tournament against the stingy Uruguayan defense including Atletico Madrid duo Diego Godin and Jose Giminez. Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez lead the Uruguayan attacking and will hope to have success against the aging pair of Portuguese centerbacks Jose Fonte and Pepe. Uruguay: Uruguay won every match in their group stage and have yet to concede a goal en route to winning Group A. They have looked rather comfortable while seemingly not playing up to their potential yet. Luis Suarez has two goals and Edinson Cavani has a goal to his name but the attack has looked a little disjointed prior to the 3-0 hammering of Russia. Portugal will have a hard time piercing the defense partnership of Godin and Gimenez with Fernando Muslera in goal. Uruguay are incredibly good in defense and Portugal will likely struggle against the back line, this game could very well be decided on penalties. Portugal: Portugal relied on it's tried and true method to advance to the knockout round as the second place in Group B. A stingy defense and great goalkeeper have kept teams at bay while Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the all important goals while, at times, doing everything on his own in an attacking sense. Portugal are not flashy but they have a formula that works and this side is not much different from the side that battered it's way to a Euro 2016 championship. There is a smattering of talent around Ronaldo but too often it feels like a one man show and it will likely take some more magic from one of the world's best players to get Portugal past a stingy Uruguay side. Prediction: Uruguay to beat Portugal 1-0, probably scoring on a set piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drd23 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Hoping for, and expecting a Uruguay win. I'm not sure that an old and slow pairing of Pepe and Jose Fonte can contain a strike duo as good as Cavani and Suarez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roysmyboy31 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 I expect this to be a really good game. I do feel like Uruguay is going to set out to stop Ronaldo as best they can and hope no one else beats them. They do have an excellent CB pairing with Godin and Gimenez who is familiar with him from their battles in Spain. Will anyone else from Portugal be able to step up if Ronaldo can't get on the board? Mainly for that reason, I think Uruguay nicks this one from Portugal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drd23 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Quote Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal now stand in his way of a place in the quarter-finals. Keeping the Real Madrid ace quiet is an almost impossible task but it is one that Godin has pulled off before. They have met 26 times in Madrid derbies. Godin has kept Ronaldo scoreless on 15 occasions. It is also worth pointing out that half of the 18 goals that the prolific Portuguese has scored in those games came from either penalties (6) or free kicks (3). http://www.goal.com/en/news/move-over-sergio-ramos-uruguay-hardman-diego-godin-is-the/1e6gwl1mbaelh1y2g2sed45uok I'm liking those odds if I'm Uruguay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKTexans Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 I've said it countless times, this is a poor Portugal side, they struggled to get past Iran and Morocco. Uruguay laboured past Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but showed a hint of their potential by demolishing Russia. Hopefully this is an exciting games and Uruguay win it 3-2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heimdallr Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 This has potential to be a superb game. another 4-3 result would be fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEvans Posted June 30, 2018 Author Share Posted June 30, 2018 4 minutes ago, Heimdallr said: This has potential to be a superb game. another 4-3 result would be fantastic I have pretty low expectations. That being said, I thought the last game would be crap and it was pretty great so who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEvans Posted June 30, 2018 Author Share Posted June 30, 2018 If anyone wants to create the threads for tomorrow they're more than welcome to. I can do it but it probably wont be till tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marky mark Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAW Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 8 hours ago, texans_uk said: I've said it countless times, this is a poor Portugal side, they struggled to get past Iran and Morocco. Uruguay laboured past Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but showed a hint of their potential by demolishing Russia. Hopefully this is an exciting games and Uruguay win it 3-2. So did Spain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc Ball Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Can’t call this. Uruguay are better at the back and up front, but Ronaldo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedLavie Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 What a goal. Collectively that's beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roysmyboy31 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Good job by Cavani to get his head on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnygsm Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Poetry in motion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heimdallr Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Well that’ll definitely open up the fame nicely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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