Portugal vs. Wales Euro 2016 Preview and Prediction

The 2016 UEFA European Championship semifinals get underway Wednesday with surprising Wales taking on Portugal from Stade de Lyon in Lyon, France at 3 p.m. ET. The match features two of the world’s best players in Wales’ Gareth Bale and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal is a +119 favourite on Sports Interaction soccer odds with Wales at +217 and a regulation draw at +223. The winner takes on the victor of Thursday’s Germany-France match. The final is Sunday in Saint Denis.

Bragging Rights For One Real Madrid Player

Bale and Ronaldo are teammates for the best soccer club in the world, La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid, which is the reigning Champions League winner. Bale became the world’s most expensive soccer player when he joined Real from English Premier League side Tottenham for £85m in 2013, surpassing the £80m the club paid Manchester United for Ronaldo in 2009. It’s quite possible that the player from the winning side Wednesday wins the Ballon d’Or title, which goes to the world’s top player. Ronaldo has been named the world’s top player three times and was second last year to Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

Portugal Odds

Portugal has yet to win in regulation time during the 2016 Euros. In the group stage, it tied with Iceland, Austria and Hungary. Portugal then beat Croatia 1-0 in the Round of 16, with Ricardo Quaresma scoring in extra time. Ronaldo did not have a single official shot attempt until setting up the game-winning goal in the 117th minute. In the quarterfinals, Poland and Portugal went to penalty kicks after a 1-1 result through extra time. Portugal then won on penalties 5-3. It has never won the European title. Its best result was a runner-up (to Greece) when the country hosted the tournament in 2004. Ronaldo has two goals and two assists in this year’s event. He’s +300 in Euro Cup odds to be this match’s first goalscorer. Portugal will be without William Carvalho for the semifinals due to yellow card accumulation suspension.

Wales Odds

Wales is in the European Championship for the first time and snuck in because the field was expanded to 24 teams this year. Wales beat Slovakia and Russia in group play and lost 2-1 to England. Wales then beat Northern Ireland 1-0 in the knockout round on an own goal from Northern Ireland’s Gareth McAuley. In the quarterfinals, Wales took out favoured Belgium 3-1. It is the first country to reach the Euro semifinals in its first season in the competition since Sweden in 1992. Bale, who opted to play for Wales over England in this tournament, has three goals and one assist. He is +542 to be the game’s first goalscorer. Wales will be without two key players due to suspensions for Ben Davies and Aaron Ramsey, who is tied for the tournament lead with four assists. Ramsey helped set up Hal Robson-Kanu’s eventual winner vs. Belgium.

The is the first competitive match between the countries. They have played three friendlies all-time — not since 2000 — and Portugal won two of them.

Wales vs. Portugal Prediction

Wales’ underdog run comes to an end as Portugal wins 1-0. That exact result is +464. Definitely go under the 2.5 goals total.