Croatia vs Portugal: Croatia faces Portugal in a critical UEFA Nations League match, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Portugal, currently atop Group A1, looks to cement its dominance, while Croatia is keen to bounce back and secure their standing.
Head-to-Head
- Croatia Wins: 1
- Draws: 1
- Portugal Wins: 6
Recent Form
Croatia
- Nations League: LWWDL
- All Competitions: DLWWDL
Portugal
- Nations League: WWWDW
- All Competitions: LWWDWW
Last 5 Meetings
- 06 Sep 2024: Portugal 2-1 Croatia (Nations League)
- 08 Jun 2024: Portugal 1-2 Croatia (Friendly)
- 18 Nov 2020: Croatia 2-3 Portugal (Nations League)
- 06 Sep 2020: Portugal 4-1 Croatia (Nations League)
- 07 Sep 2018: Portugal 1-1 Croatia (Friendly)
Portugal leads the recent matchups, but Croatia’s victory earlier in 2024 could inspire confidence.
Nations League Standings (Group A1)
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals | Pts | Form |
| 1 | Portugal | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 12:4 | 13 | WWWDW |
| 2 | Croatia | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7:7 | 7 | LWWDL |
| 3 | Poland | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8:14 | 4 | WLLDL |
| 4 | Scotland | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5:7 | 4 | LLLDW |
Portugal is in commanding form, while Croatia must win to maintain second place.
Croatia vs Portugal Predicted Lineups
Croatia (4-2-3-1)
- GK: Dominik Kotarski
- Defense: Duje Caleta-Car, Josip Sutalo, Josko Gvardiol
- Midfield: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Sucic, Martin Baturina, Petar Sucic
- Forward: Andrej Kramaric
Portugal (4-3-3)
- GK: Diogo Costa
- Defense: Diogo Dalot, Antonio Silva, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes
- Midfield: Bernardo Silva, Joao Neves, Bruno Fernandes
- Attack: Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto
Key Players
- Croatia: Luka Modric (playmaker), Josko Gvardiol (defensive anchor), Andrej Kramaric (goal threat)
- Portugal: Bruno Fernandes (midfield maestro), Cristiano Ronaldo (veteran striker), Rafael Leao (dynamic winger)
10 Key Stats
- Portugal scores an average of 2.2 goals against Croatia.
- Croatia averages 1.4 goals against Portugal.
- Portugal is unbeaten in their last five matches.
- Croatia has scored in six consecutive matches.
- Portugal has won four of the last five meetings.
- Average goals per game in this matchup: 3.6.
- Portugal scores 42% of their goals between the 76th and 90th minutes.
- Croatia has a 75% win rate when leading 1-0 at home.
- Portugal has never won when trailing 1-0 away.
- Croatia’s first-half win rate is 30%, compared to Portugal’s 43%.
SWOT Analysis for Croatia vs Portugal
Strengths
- Croatia:
- Strong home form: Croatia has won 4 consecutive matches at home.
- Scoring consistency: Croatia has scored in 6 consecutive matches.
- Resilience when trailing: Croatia has a 50% win rate when down 0-1 at home.
- High goal average at home: Croatia scores an average of 1.67 goals per match at home.
- Portugal:
- Dominance in head-to-head: Portugal has won 6 of the last 9 meetings with Croatia.
- Effective away performance: Portugal has a 100% win rate when leading 0-1 away.
- Scoring efficiency: Portugal averages 2.2 goals per match against Croatia.
- Late-game strength: Portugal scores 42% of their goals between minutes 76-90.
Weaknesses
- Croatia:
- Struggles against Portugal: Only 1 win in 9 meetings, with a negative goal difference of 17-7.
- Inconsistent halftime performance: Croatia wins just 30% of halftimes compared to Portugal’s 43%.
- Vulnerability to early deficits: Croatia struggles to recover fully when conceding first.
- Portugal:
- Average away goal rate: Portugal scores only 1.2 goals on average when playing away.
- Lack of comeback ability: Portugal has a 0% win rate when trailing 1-0 away.
- Defensive lapses: Portugal has conceded in 3 of their last 5 matches against Croatia.
Opportunities
- Croatia:
- Leverage home advantage: Croatia’s strong home form could help neutralize Portugal’s dominance.
- Capitalize on Portugal’s away vulnerabilities: Target early goals to exploit Portugal’s inability to recover from deficits.
- Exploit Bruno Fernandes’ disciplinary tendencies: With two yellow cards, pressuring Fernandes could lead to a strategic advantage.
- Portugal:
- Use head-to-head superiority to intimidate: Portugal’s dominant record against Croatia can play a psychological role.
- Exploit Croatia’s halftime inconsistencies: A strong start can tilt the game early in Portugal’s favor.
- Late-game pressure: Portugal’s strength in the final 15 minutes could be decisive.
Threats
- Croatia:
- Portugal’s form: Portugal is unbeaten in their last 5 games and has better Nations League performance.
- Late-game pressure: Portugal’s tendency to score late goals could undo Croatia’s efforts.
- Portugal:
- Croatia’s home streak: Croatia’s recent home record poses a significant challenge.
- Momentum shift: Croatia’s recent victory in a friendly (2-1) could indicate a growing challenge for Portugal.
Prediction
This game promises to be a closely contested affair. Portugal enters as slight favorites given their recent form and historical dominance. However, Croatia’s resilience at home cannot be ignored.
Predicted Score: Croatia 1-1 Portugal
Both teams are expected to battle hard, but a draw seems the most likely outcome.
Where to Watch Croatia vs Portugal
- Free Live Stream: Watch live on ScoreBat
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