New Zealand vs Portugal
Confederations Cup
Date: Saturday, 24th June 2017
Kick-off at 16:00 UK/ 17:00 CET
Venue: Krestovsky Stadium (Saint Petersburg).
Preview
New Zealand have been out of their depth at the Confederations Cup, and the presence of Ronaldo could scare the All Whites into submission.
The Real Madrid icon was on target as his side defeated the hosts 1-0, leaving Portugal on the brink of the next stage.
New Zealand found the net as Chris Wood scored against Mexico, but they have remained toothless throughout most of their play in the competition.
The Portuguese know only a point is needed from the game, and there will be a temptation to rest players against an inferior opponent in Saint Petersburg.
Bernardo Silva was impressive for Portugal as they edged the Russians, and the Manchester City new boy could be a major player late in the competition.
The 22-year-old experienced a breakout season last term, appearing 48 times for Monaco in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League, according to WhoScored.com.
Silva will enjoy the freedom he should be gifted by New Zealand and could eclipse Ronaldo in the contest.
New Zealand vs Portugal: Head-to-head
This will be the first head-to-head meeting between the two sides.
New Zealand vs Portugal: Prediction
Portugal showed their lethal side in the 1-0 win against Russia. The final scoreline do not tell the whole story, but the number of scoring chances they created during the 90 minutes is a positive sign. Moreover, they were much assured in the defensive department as compared against the opening day fixture against Mexico.
New Zealand are too defensive in their approach, which could play in the hands of the European Champions. The team strength is also a big mismatch on paper, and one must expect Portugal to grab a comfortable win on Saturday.
New Zealand vs Portugal: Bet Tips
Portugal to win first-half at 1.40 odds by Betfair.
The top recommended bet for this match is the first half to produce 2 or more goals. Over 1.5 first half goals can be grabbed for 2.00 odds at Bet365.
