North American fans of the USWNT will have to set their alarms to the ungodly hour of 3am on Tuesday morning to watch the world’s top-ranked team play their final group stage game against tournament newcomers Portugal.
USA vs. Portugal Prediction: FIFA Women’s World Cup Odds
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Sports Interaction Staff
USWNT vs. Portugal Betting Odds
For the first time in sixteen years, the United States Women’s National Team will be coming into a final group game without having secured their spot in the next round. A win or draw will get them to the round of 16, but a defeat would almost certainly eliminate the Americans at the earliest stage since the Women’s World Cup was started.
United States
This is not the same team that bulldozed their way to the final in the last edition of the World Cup. More than half of the players on the roster are new, and many of the veterans are nearing retirement. The team looks solid, but not quite as dominant as previous iterations have been.
In their opening matchup against Vietnam, the team simply couldn’t finish on a series of scoring chances that led them to a respectable, but surprising, final score of 3-0. For a team that usually skips through this stage with double digit goal differentials, this relatively low-scoring game threw a wrench into that American tactic.
Next up was the Netherlands, against whom they were only able to manage a 1-1 draw after an impressive header by Lindsey Horan.
“It’s like a pressure moment,” Megan Rapinoe told the press. “And that’s what the tournament is. Now every single game from here on out is that pressure moment and the best part of being in the World Cup.”
Portugal
Portugal is rightfully fired up coming into this one against the defending champs, as they’re coming off their first-ever World Cup win in their first ever World Cup tournament. The Portuguese Women’s National Team earned a 2-0 victory against fellow tourney newcomers Vietnam.
The win was a follow-up to the team’s very close game against the Netherlands, which ended in a 1-0 win for the Dutch side. Bettors would be wise to recall that the USWNT was only able to manage a draw against the Netherlands. If Portugal intends to move forward in this tournament, they must pull off the biggest upset of the entire event and beat the Americans.
Portugal forward Kika Nazareth talked to the press about her team’s chances, saying:
“The United States is one of the greatest powers in the world. But we believe, and we’re going to do it.”
United States vs. Portugal Score Prediction
USWNT 2, Portugal 1