We’re into the second set of group stage games at UEFA Euro 2024, and it’s safe to say that this tournament is already exceeding expectations. We’ve seen incredible moments take place across the last week or so and as we look ahead to the immediate future, it feels like more of the same is on the way. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the upcoming clash between Turkey and Portugal.
Turkey Form GuideIn the last 16 World Cups, Turkey have only qualified for the final tournament once - finishing in third place. In the Euros, however, they tend to have a bit more luck, having qualified for three of the last four editions. They did only manage to reach the group stage in the last two but at the very least, there’s a clear direction for them as a squad, especially with one of the most intimidating fanbases in world football.
Turkey were forced to work harder than they probably expected when they collided with Georgia in their first group game. They had a passionate crowd behind them but were still taken all the way to the wire, but in the end, they pulled off a really important 3-1 victory.
Portugal Form GuidePortugal managed to shock a lot of people by becoming European champions back in 2016. Unfortunately, they haven’t quite been able to build on that - but things are looking good right now. This is arguably the best golden generation they’ve had since Cristiano Ronaldo first rose to prominence two decades ago, and now is the chance to seize their opportunity, especially given their goalscoring prowess.
Portugal had to work a lot harder than they probably would’ve expected in their opener with Czech Republic, especially after going 1-0 down. It didn’t take long for them to get back on level terms, and then in injury time, they were finally able to get one more big chance to earn a 2-1 win.
Match PredictionIt feels like these two sides are going to combine for one of the games of the tournament so far, but of course, that could just be a hunch. Either way, we’re going to believe that’s the direction we’re heading in - and for an official prediction, we’re going to shoot for a Portugal win.
