KATHMANDU, June 30: Portugal will take on two times World Cup winners Uruguay to find their spot in the Round of 16 fixture at 11:45 PM today at Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia. Uruguay hasn’t conceded a goal in its three group stage matches and has been strong in the defense as well as the attack.
Portugal, reigning European champions are equally strong as they started off their campaign in Group B with an exciting draw against 2010 World Cup winners Spain.
In one of the early contenders for the match of this World Cup Portugal twice went ahead before falling behind in a topsy-turvy match that Diego Costa and Nacho scoring for Spain while Cristiano Ronaldo, with almost the last kick of normal time levelling it up for Portugal, in doing so completing his first World Cup hat-trick making him the oldest man ever to score a hattrick in the World Cup.
FIFA World Cup 2018: Uruguay v Portugal (Preview)
Here’s what expert has to say in a pre-match analysis ahead of the game.
Possible line-ups for both the teams
Uruguay XI: Fernando Muslera; Martin Caceres, Jose Maria Gimenez, Diego Godin, Diego Laxalt, Nahitan Nandez, Matias Vecino, Lucas Torreira, Rodrigo Bentancur, Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani.
Portugal XI: Rui Patricio, Cedric, Pepe, Jose Fonte, Raphael Guerreiro, William, Adrien Silva, Ricardo Quaresma, Joao Mario, Goncalo Guedes, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Head to Head Stats
This will be the third encounter between Portugal and Uruguay and the first one in a World Cup. The Portuguese are undefeated in the 2 matches these two teams have played in, with the last match coming in 1972.
Interesting stats
Uruguay will be looking to win their opening 4 matches at a World Cup for only the second time after 1930, where they won the first ever FIFA World Cup but have failed to qualify from the round of 16 in 3 of the 4 times they have entered it after it was introduced in 1986.
Uruguay is the only remaining side in this World Cup yet to concede a goal.
Luis Suarez can equal the record of being the highest scorer for Uruguay if he scores one against Portugal.
Cristiano Ronaldo can equal the record as the player with the most appearances at the World Cups and European Championships if he plays in Portugal's next match against Uruguay while Ronaldo is yet to score a goal in 424 minutes for Portugal in the knockout stages of the World Cup.
