Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Nations League match.
It's hard to believe, but before the start of Euro 2024, Scotland were seen as one of the tournament's underdogs, with expectations of a breakthrough. Today, as they face Portugal, the Scottish side are in the midst of a four-game losing streak, having managed just one win in their 10 matches in 2024, a friendly victory against Gibraltar (2:0) in June.
Scotland
While Scotland have struggled, it's not that they didn't put up a fight during the first leg of the Nations League group stage. The team found the net in every match, but Poland (2:3), Portugal, and Croatia (both 1:2) simply had more talent. On Saturday, Ryan Christie’s lone goal for the Brits was countered by strikes from Igor Matanović and Andrej Kramarić of Croatia, who were more potent in attack (1.25 xG vs 0.91 xG).
Portugal
Portugal, on the other hand, have adeptly utilised the individual brilliance of their stars. Following their victory over Poland (3:1), Cristiano Ronaldo extended his scoring run to three matches, leading the Nations League top scorer race alongside Randal Kolo Muani, Deniz Undav, and Davide Frattesi. In Warsaw, the Portuguese created a significant expected goals difference (3.01 xG vs 0.89 xG), controlling the game with a possession rate of 63% to 37%.
Scotland vs Portugal Prediction
In Glasgow, the favourites are likely to start with Vitinha Ferreira, Rúben Neves, and João Félix from the outset as they seek game-time. In September, Portugal managed a home win over Scotland (2:1), and away from home, they are expected to comfortably secure another three points.
