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Good day, sports enthusiasts! We\’re thrilled to delve into the tantalizing matchup between two renowned football powerhouses: Scotland and Portugal. These two nations have a rich football history and boast talented players capable of showcasing captivating performances. As the anticipation builds, let\’s dive into the standings and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each team. Who will emerge victorious in this highly anticipated encounter? Stay tuned as we bring you an in-depth analysis and all the latest updates from the pitch.
Scotland National Football Team Standings
2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification – UEFA
Group F
| Position | Team | Points | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark | 27 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 3 | +27 |
| 2 | Scotland | 23 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 7 | +15 |
| 3 | Israel | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 17 | +1 |
| 4 | Austria | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 17 | +2 |
| 5 | Faroe Islands | 4 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 27 | -20 |
| 6 | Moldova | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 30 | -25 |
Scotland finished second in Group F, securing a playoff spot for a chance to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They won seven matches, drew two, and lost only one, conceding the fewest goals (7) among all teams in the group.
Notable results include a 3-0 away victory against Austria, a 2-0 home win over Denmark, and a 3-2 victory on the road against Israel. Scotland\’s only defeat came against Denmark in the away fixture, which they lost 1-0.
Key players for Scotland during the qualifying campaign included Lyndon Dykes (7 goals), John McGinn (5 goals), and Kieran Tierney (3 assists). Their strong defensive performances were led by goalkeeper David Marshall and central defender Scott McKenna.
UEFA Nations League
2022-23 UEFA Nations League B
| Position | Team | Points | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukraine | 13 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | +6 |
| 2 | Scotland | 12 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 |
| 3 | Republic of Ireland | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 7 | +1 |
| 4 | Armenia | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | -11 |
Scotland finished second in their UEFA Nations League group, narrowly missing out on promotion to League A. They won four matches, drew one, and lost two, scoring 12 goals and conceding seven.
Standout performers for Scotland included Ryan Christie (3 goals), Scott McTominay (2 goals), and Che Adams (1 goal, 2 assists). The team also showcased a solid defensive setup, with goalkeeper Craig Gordon and defender Jack Hendry playing key roles.
Portugal National Football Team Standings
2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification – UEFA
In the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification – UEFA, Portugal competed in Group A alongside Serbia, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Azerbaijan. They emerged as group winners, securing automatic qualification for the World Cup finals in Qatar.
UEFA Nations League
League A: Group 2
Portugal participated in League A, Group 2 of the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League alongside Switzerland, Spain, and the Czech Republic. The team finished second in the group, just one point behind Spain, and reached the semi-finals of the competition.
In their opening match, Portugal earned a 4-0 victory over the Czech Republic, with Diogo Jota scoring a hat-trick. They followed up with a 1-1 draw against Spain, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a late equalizer. Portugal then defeated Switzerland 4-0, with Joao Cancelo, Joao Mario, Goncalo Ramos, and Nuno Mendes all finding the net. A 2-0 loss to Spain in the reverse fixture put Portugal in second place in the group, but they secured qualification for the semi-finals by defeating Switzerland 1-0 in their final match.
Semi-Finals
Portugal faced the Netherlands in the Nations League semi-finals and were held to a 0-0 draw in regulation time. In the penalty shootout that followed, Portugal emerged victorious 3-1, with Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, and Joao Palhinha converting their spot-kicks.
Third-Place Match
In the third-place match, Portugal faced Croatia. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, with Joao Felix scoring for Portugal and Andrej Kramaric equalizing for Croatia. Portugal ultimately lost 1-0 in the penalty shootout, with Bruno Fernandes missing the decisive penalty.
Head-to-Head Record
Overall
Scotland and Portugal have faced each other 18 times, with Portugal holding a significant advantage in the overall head-to-head record. The Portuguese have won 10 matches, while Scotland has managed to secure just 3 victories. The remaining 5 encounters have ended in draws.
Competitive Matches
In competitive fixtures, the two teams have met on 7 occasions, all of which have been FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Portugal has maintained its dominance in these matches, winning 5 of the 7 encounters. Scotland has managed to secure a narrow 1-0 win in one match, while the other encounter ended in a draw.
The most memorable of these competitive clashes came in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The two teams were drawn in the same group and faced each other twice. Portugal emerged victorious in both matches, winning 3-0 in Lisbon and 1-0 in Glasgow. These results proved crucial in Portugal\’s successful qualification for the tournament.
Recent Encounters
In recent years, the two teams have met twice, with both matches ending in draws. In a friendly match in 2018, the teams played out a 1-1 draw at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Two years later, they faced each other again in the UEFA Nations League, with the match ending in a 2-2 draw at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon.
Recent Matches
UEFA Nations League
The UEFA Nations League is a biennial international football competition involving the senior men\’s national teams of the 55 member associations of UEFA. The competition was established in 2018 to replace international friendly matches, and the first edition was played in 2018-19. The competition is divided into four divisions, with teams promoted and relegated between divisions based on their performance. The winners of the top division, known as League A, are crowned as the UEFA Nations League champions.
Friendly
A friendly match is an exhibition game played between two football teams. Friendly matches are not competitive and are used to prepare for upcoming tournaments or to give new players a chance to play. Friendly matches are often played between teams from different countries, and they can be a good way to gauge the strength of a team against international competition.
Upcoming Matches
UEFA Nations League
The UEFA Nations League is a biennial international football competition contested by the senior men\’s national teams of the 55 member associations of UEFA. It was established in 2018 to replace international friendly matches. The competition is divided into four divisions based on the UEFA coefficient ranking of each participating team. The top-ranked teams are placed in League A, the second-ranked teams in League B, and so on. Each division is further divided into groups of three or four teams.
Match Details: Scotland vs Portugal
Scotland will face Portugal in the UEFA Nations League on September 24, 2022, at Hampden Park in Glasgow. The match will be the first of three home matches for Scotland in the group stage, with the other two being against Ukraine and the Republic of Ireland. Portugal, meanwhile, will kick off their Nations League campaign against Switzerland on June 2, before hosting the Czech Republic in Lisbon four days later.
The two teams have faced each other 15 times in the past, with Portugal holding a slight advantage with 7 wins to Scotland\’s 4. The most recent encounter between the two sides came in a friendly match in Faro, Portugal, in November 2014, which Portugal won 1-0. Scotland will be looking to avenge that defeat when they meet again in Glasgow.
Team News
Scotland manager Steve Clarke will be without a number of key players for the match against Portugal. Kieran Tierney, Ryan Fraser, and Scott McTominay have all been ruled out through injury, while Andy Robertson is suspended after being sent off in Scotland\’s last match against Ukraine. Portugal, meanwhile, will be at full strength, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva all expected to start.
Match Preview
Scotland will need to be at their best to get a result against the highly-fancied Portugal side. The Scots will likely look to frustrate their opponents with a compact and disciplined defense, while relying on the counterattack to create scoring chances. Portugal, meanwhile, will be confident of victory, but they will be wary of Scotland\’s threat on the break.
Prediction
Portugal are the favorites going into the match, but Scotland have a good record at home and will be looking to make the most of the crowd\’s support. A draw would be a good result for Scotland, but they will be hoping to spring a surprise and pull off an upset.