In a fixture with all the hallmarks of a World Cup classic, Iberian rivals Portugal and Spain go head-to-head in a mouthwatering Round of 16 showdown in Dallas on Monday.
Spain booked their place with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Austria, as Mikel Oyarzabal struck twice and Pedro Porro added a third in a commanding display.
Portugal’s route to the last 16 was far more dramatic. A 94th-minute winner sealed a 2-1 victory over Croatia, although the match ended in controversy when Croatia appeared to snatch an equaliser deep into stoppage time, only for VAR to rule it out for an offside many deemed inconclusive.
Those contrasting victories have set up one of the standout ties of the Round of 16. With a place in the quarter-finals at stake, here are a couple of the key markets on offer with Sky Bet.
In the head-to-head market, Spain are the 4/9 favourites to progress, while Portugal are priced at 7/4 to spring an upset.
Sky Bet preview: Portugal and Spain set for blockbuster World Cup clash on Monday
History also favours La Roja. Of the 41 meetings between the sides, Spain have won 17, while Portugal have come out on top just six times. The remaining 18 encounters have ended level.
Portugal, however, have the edge from their most recent meeting. They lifted the Nations League trophy after beating Spain 5-3 on penalties, following a dramatic 2-2 draw after extra time.
Elsewhere, Sky Bet has four Price Boosts available for this blockbuster encounter. The first sees Bruno Fernandes to register 1+ shot on target, including extra time, at 1/1, while the second backs Mikel Oyarzabal to score first, including extra time, at 5/1.
Oyarzabal opened the scoring in Spain’s Round of 32 victory over Austria, while Fernandes arrives in Dallas after registering an assist in Portugal’s win over Croatia.
The other two boosts are priced at 4/1 and 11/1 respectively. They back Lamine Yamal to have 2+ shots on target from outside the box, including extra time, and Cristiano Ronaldo to score 2+ goals, including extra time.
Yamal was on target in Spain’s group-stage victory over Saudi Arabia, while Ronaldo has scored three goals at this World Cup, including a brace, and will once again lead Portugal’s attack.
- All odds are correct at the time of publication
