Portugal vs Switzerland is the final match of the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup. The game is on the program on Tuesday afternoon (Eastern Time). The winner of this duel will advance to the World Cup quarterfinal where they’ll take on the winner of Morocco vs Spain game.
Oddsmakers think Portugal is more likely to triumph on Tuesday afternoon, but you should keep in mind that Switzerland usually do well in big matches. In fact, the Swiss defeated Portugal 1-0 the last time these two played – in the UEFA Nations League on June 12, 2022.
Can Switzerland cause another upset or will Portugal exact their revenge? Keep reading our prediction piece to find out!
Portugal vs Switzerland Odds
Match-Winner
| Portugal | -111 |
| Draw | +225 |
| Switzerland | +350 |
Goals Over/Under
| Over 2.5 | +120 |
| Under 2.5 | -152 |
*Odds taken from bet365 on Monday, December 5.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail, Qatar
- Date: Tuesday, December 6, 2022
- Time: 2:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: FOX/Telemundo
Portugal Dreaming Big
After two straight wins, Portugal ended up losing in the final round of the group phase, but it didn’t matter – they went through to the round of 16 from the no.1 position in Group H. As a result, they’re now playing against the no.2 team from Group G, which is Switzerland.
If you compare these two teams player-for-player, it’s clear that Portugal are the better team. Fernando Santos’ team is strong in all positions on the pitch, with some good news about their injured players – Danilo Pereira, Otavio, and Nuno Mendes.
All three of them are almost ready to return. Santos might not necessarily decide to put them in the starting XI against Switzerland, but these guys (Pereira especially) could see some action if Portugal advance to the quarterfinal.
Switzerland to Stick to Their World Cup Strategy
The Swiss are very difficult to score against, which is what’s helped them get to the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup. They beat Cameroon 1-0, then lost to Brazil 1-0 due to a late goal by Casemiro, before finally beating Serbia 3-2.
They did concede twice in the final round of the group phase of the competition, but there’s an explanation for that. First of all, their starting goalkeeper Yann Sommer had to miss the game due to illness. Secondly, they played against an extremely attacking-minded opponent – Serbia played with two classical strikers, two offensive wingers, and two attacking midfielders.
Portugal probably won’t play such offensive soccer, which is why the Swiss have every right to hope they won’t get blown out on Tuesday. The big question is whether they can score, given that they do not have elite finishers on the roster. Plus, Portugal’s midfielder players probably won’t let them have too many opportunities to find the net on Tuesday evening.
Portugal vs Switzerland Prediction
We don’t expect to see too many goals in this game, as both teams will probably go with a somewhat cautious approach. That said, we wouldn’t be surprised if the game went to extra time or even penalties.
Considering that one of Portugal’s strengths is the experience of its key men, we do think they’re going to win in the end.
Picks: Portugal to advance; under 2.5 goals in normal time.