IBERIAN NEIGHBOURS PORTUGAL and Spain clash tonight (8pm) in a mouth-watering World Cup round-of-16 clash which will put one of the tournament favourites on an early flight home from North America.
The sides’ respective round-of-32 clashes could scarcely have been more different. Portugal overcame Croatia 2-1 in a highly dramatic affair which was fraught with tension until the 103rd minute of regulation time, when Croatia were cruelly denied an equaliser by the video assistant referee.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez — who will manage tonight against his native country — must also now surely face a dilemma as to whether he selects the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo or his match-winning substitute, Gonçalo Ramos, as the starting Portuguese striker.
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Reigning European champions Spain, meanwhile, swept aside Austria in the last 16, producing arguably the most complete performance of the competition to date. Unsung hero Mikel Oyarzabal, who captained Real Sociedad to a landmark Copa del Rey triumph last season, scored twice in a 3-0 victory for Luis de la Fuente’s side.
The sides’ most recent meeting came in the Uefa Nations League final 13 months ago, with Portugal emerging 5-3 winners on penalties after the game finished 2-2 at the end of extra time.
Spain have won the World Cup just once, back in 2010, while Portugal are yet to scale that particular mountain.
The route to a second World Cup for Spain, or a first success on the world stage for Portugal, runs through Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas — via Iberia, of course, where each country typically considers the other a ‘cousin’ and a good neighbour.
Who do you think will progress to the quarter-finals?
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Who will win tonight's World Cup game - Portugal or Spain?
IBERIAN NEIGHBOURS PORTUGAL and Spain clash tonight (8pm) in a mouth-watering World Cup round-of-16 clash which will put one of the tournament favourites on an early flight home from North America.
The sides’ respective round-of-32 clashes could scarcely have been more different. Portugal overcame Croatia 2-1 in a highly dramatic affair which was fraught with tension until the 103rd minute of regulation time, when Croatia were cruelly denied an equaliser by the video assistant referee.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez — who will manage tonight against his native country — must also now surely face a dilemma as to whether he selects the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo or his match-winning substitute, Gonçalo Ramos, as the starting Portuguese striker.
Reigning European champions Spain, meanwhile, swept aside Austria in the last 16, producing arguably the most complete performance of the competition to date. Unsung hero Mikel Oyarzabal, who captained Real Sociedad to a landmark Copa del Rey triumph last season, scored twice in a 3-0 victory for Luis de la Fuente’s side.
The sides’ most recent meeting came in the Uefa Nations League final 13 months ago, with Portugal emerging 5-3 winners on penalties after the game finished 2-2 at the end of extra time.
Spain have won the World Cup just once, back in 2010, while Portugal are yet to scale that particular mountain.
The route to a second World Cup for Spain, or a first success on the world stage for Portugal, runs through Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas — via Iberia, of course, where each country typically considers the other a ‘cousin’ and a good neighbour.
Who do you think will progress to the quarter-finals?
Poll Results:
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