Portugal will aim to maintain their flawless start to 2026 World Cup qualifying when they host the Republic of Ireland at Estádio José Alvalade this Saturday night. Their previous meeting in June 2024 ended in a 3–0 victory for the hosts, led by two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Buoyed by consecutive wins over Armenia and Hungary and a sixth UEFA Nations League crown, Roberto Martínez’s side arrive in confident mood. Sitting top of Group F by three points, Portugal are eyeing a sixth straight win across all competitions as they target top spot.
Portugal will be without Paris Saint-Germain’s João Neves and Al-Hilal’s João Cancelo, both sidelined with hamstring issues. Nuno Tavares has been called up, but Nuno Mendes is expected to fill in at left-back.
Meanwhile Nelson Semedo and Diogo Dalot compete for the right full-back slot. In midfield, Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha are likely to partner each other, and Cristiano Ronaldo, already on three qualifying goals, is anticipated to lead the attack.
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Ireland will miss Matt Doherty, Jason Knight, Bosun Lawal, Callum O’Dowda, and Sammie Szmodics due to injury, with the latter two withdrawing earlier in the week. Seamus Coleman returns to the squad and may challenge Chiedozie Ogbene for the right wing-back role.
John Egan earns his first call-up since 2023, though he is unlikely to displace Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, or Jake O’Brien in central defence. Troy Parrott is included after recovery from injury and will undergo fitness checks before the match.
It is expected to be a high-scoring encounter, and the line of over 3.5 goals at +110 seems feasible to happen. Portugal have racked up eight goals across their opening two qualifiers. They’ve registered a 5–0 win over Armenia and a 3–2 win in Hungary. They came easily from Roberto Martínez’s attack-oriented setup.
In contrast, Ireland’s defence has looked vulnerable, conceding in most recent fixtures and struggling away from home. They’ve failed to score in four of their last eight away games. With Portugal aiming to stretch a winning streak and Ireland needing to push forward, the conditions are ripe for multiple goals.
Backing Cristiano Ronaldo to score at any time at -220 is justified by his history of delivering in this fixture and his red-hot qualifying form. He struck twice in the last meeting between these nations in 2024. In the current qualifiers, he already has three goals in just two matches.
The veteran forward remains the focal point of Portugal’s attack and is expected to be in prime positions to convert chances or benefit from set pieces. Given Ireland’s defensive frailties and Ronaldo’s consistency, the market’s pricing seems well aligned with expectations.
The wager on Joao Felix to score or assist at -165 holds merit given his recent contributions and creative role. Felix opened the scoring in that 3-0 friendly win against Ireland. He has also registered three goals across his last five matches.
As Martínez tries to balance attacking thrusts, Félix is likely to be deployed in advanced positions, combining with Ronaldo and others. With Portugal dominating possession and creating chances, the statistic of goal involvement for Félix becomes a strong play in this matchup.
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Given their recent form and superior attacking depth, Portugal are expected to overwhelm Ireland. With three wins in their last four head-to-heads, Portugal will be confident. Ireland continue to battle injuries and weak away stats, having won just two of their last eight road matches and often blanked.
A 4–0 forecast fits with the over 3.5 goals betting line, Ronaldo’s anticipated goal, and involvement from teammates like João Félix. Expect Portugal to control proceedings from start to finish, leaving Ireland with little room to respond.
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