Defending an undefeated series of 12 matches, Portugal faces on Tuesday, November 14, the selection of the United States, which failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup Russia. The friendly, which serves as preparation for the World Cup for the Portuguese, will be held from 18:45 (Brasília time) at the Doutor Magalhães Pessoa stadium in Leiria.
Portugal’s recent performance
After needing to fight for the direct qualification for the 2018 World Cup until the last round of the European qualifiers, the Portuguese opted to give a refreshment to the team and the fans in the double matchday of friendly matches in November.
In the first match, also in Portuguese soil, they faced the fragile selection of Saudi Arabia, who obtained a place in the world-wide one, on Friday, 10 of November. Even without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was dismissed from the friendly to preserve his fitness, Portugal thrashed 3-0. Manuel Fernandes, from Lokomotiv Moscow; Gonçalo Guedes of Valencia and João Mário of Internazionale swung their net.
It was enough to increase to 12 the sequence of games without defeat. The series began on June 3 and has nine wins, five in a row in the most recent matches and three draws.
It also served to coach Fernando Santos to conduct a series of tests and give athletes who do not usually have many minutes to develop their football. Faced with an even more fragile rival such a strategy should be repeated. For the departure of this Tuesday the coach has at his disposal:
Goalkeepers: Anthony Lopes (Lyon), Beto (Goztepe, from Turkey) and José Sá (Porto);
Defenders: Antunes (Getafe), Edgar Ié (Lille), Kevin Rodrigues (Real Sociedad), João Cancelo (Inter Milan), Luís Neto (Fenerbahçe), Nélson Semedo (Barcelona), Pepe (Besiktas), Ricardo Ferreira and Ricardo Pereira (Porto);
Socks: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Bruno Fernandes (Sporting), Danilo Pereira (Porto), João Mário (Inter Milan), Manuel Fernandes (Lokomotiv Moscow) and Reuben Neves (Wolverhampton).
Attackers: André Silva (Milan), Bruma (RB Leipzig), Éder (Lokomotiv Moscow), Gelson Martins (Sporting), Gonçalo Guedes (Valencia) and Rony Lopes (Monaco).
The current form of the United States
Considering the qualifiers of all the continents, it is difficult to imagine a team that has promoted a greater vexation than the United States. With a recent history of participation in all the world and having the chance to dispute up to four places in a continent in which, in practice, the unique rival is Mexico, the Americans obtained the feat of being eliminated.
The fall was with exquisite cruelty. On the final day, the US team faced away Trinidad and Tobago, who until then had only achieved a success in the decisive hexagonal and came from a series of defeats in a row. It took 2 to 1 of the flashlight.
He would still have the chance to play the recapture if Mexico could manage to secure Honduras. But the Mexican wall fell and the team, with a turnaround, took 3 to 2, a result that took the Americans out of the Russian World Cup.
Who also fell was the coach Bruce Arena. Dave Sarachan, who was coaching assistant, took over the job on an interim basis showing that the United States is not sure what to do. So much so that even managed to arrange a second friendly for the period. The hole-in, even without knowing if it will be in the position, initiated a process of renewal of the team calling five athletes that had never been selected previously.
The players summoned were:
Goalkeepers: Jesse Gonzalez (FC Dallas), Bill Hamid (Midtjylland), Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge);
Defenders: John Brooks (Wolfsburg), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Sheffield United), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest), Matt Miazga (Vitesse), Tim Ream Fulham Jorge Villafana Santos DeAndre Yedlin
Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Weston McKennie (Schalke), Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution), Danny Williams )
Attackers: Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Dom Dwyer (Orlando City), C.J. Sapong (Philadelphia Union), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen).
History of the matches Portugal vs USA
Two wins for each selection and two equalities. This is the retrospective of duels involving Portuguese and Americans. The most recent of them happened in 2014, in the World Cup of Brazil. There was a 2-2 draw.
PREDICTION: Portugal win @ 1.36