Euro 2024: Portugal and Turkey Keen to Claim Group F Supremacy

Turkey vs Portugal

Matchday 1 for Group F left Georgia and Czechs fighting for their lives. At the same time, Portugal and Turkey sit pretty atop their cluster with one win apiece thanks to their successful opening  Euro 2024 matches.

Now, the two winning outfits of Group F will have a chance to claim supremacy in their cluster and secure their spot in the next stage of the European Championship.

Who will be the first to advance to the knockout stages from this group? Read more below as SBOTOP gives an in-depth preview of this pivotal match.

 

Talking Points

Martinez boasts his deep bench

Selecao’s recent victory over Czechia was not a textbook Portugal win, to say the least. Despite Portugal dominating every facet of the game, the Czechs struck first blood thanks to Lukas Provod’s opening stunner in minute 62.

It looked like Portugal couldn’t find the back of the net at Red Bull Arena, so the football gods gifted them an own goal to level the match at minute 69. On paper, Selecao undeniably have one of the deadliest attacking prowess in the entire tournament. So, having to rely on an own goal just to get themselves on the scoreboard is quite a headscratcher.

Running out of time and options, Roberto Martinez opted to lean on the fresh legs of their super sub, Francisco Conceição. Indeed, the Porto star was up to the task and delivered an injury-time beauty to break the hearts of the Czechs and bring glory to Selecao.

This rollercoaster ride of a victory ultimately highlighted two things on the victors’ side: firstly, Portugal’s roster is world-class from top to bottom, and secondly, Roberto Martinez should receive more credit than he’s given.

In a roster composed of polarising talents like Cristiano Ronaldo, João Palhinha, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva, to name a few, Martinez leaned on a 21-year-old to get the job done and propel Selecao to their opening win of the Euro 2024 campaign.

“the important thing is not the starting XI but the finishing XI,” Martinez bossly stated.

Maybe the scariest thing about this is Portugal will only get better as they get deeper into the tournament. Fans and pundits could expect a more cohesive Selecao during their match against Turkey.

 

Turkey blasted warning shots against Georgia

Turkey had a field day during their opening match against the lowest-ranked outfit in the tournament, Georgia, and won a dominating 3-1 victory. This marked the Turks’ first opening win after losing each of their last five such matches.

Vincenzo Montella’s outfit played a breathtaking game from start to finish. They dominated every facet of the match and started their scoring parade with Mert Muldur’s perfectly struck ball from just outside the box. Muldur, best known for his defensive capabilities, showcased his versatility and hit the ball like a No. 9 to give Turkey their tournament-opening goal.

Arda Guler followed it up with a goal himself in the second half. His goal cemented him as the youngest athlete to find the back of the net in the European Championships at 19 years and 114 days, a record previously held by their upcoming adversary, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Galatasaray’s Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu then put the nail in the coffin with an insurance goal seven minutes into added time to secure the win for the Turks.

This matchup was the perfect opportunity for Turkey to assert their dominance and fire warning shots at every opponent. But the Turks should be careful with what they ask for, as they’ll face a formidable Portugal outfit in their next match.

 

History

With only three games in the last two decades, Portugal and Turkey pose as a fresh matchup for the Euro 2024 news stories to cover. In those matches, Selecao won two, while Turkey won once.

In their recent form, Portugal have won eight of their last 10 matches, which included a Euro 2024 opening win against Czechia. Meanwhile, Turkey have been a little stagnant with their recent results, winning four, drawing two, and losing four in their last 10 games.

 

Betting Tip

Despite dominating Georgia in their tournament opener, the Euro 2024 betting odds still place Turkey as the 5.50 underdogs, while the 2016 European champions Portugal are the 1.54 favourites with a draw price of 4.12.

I would personally lean towards Portugal on this one, but their 1×2 price might not spark enough interest and excitement for punters to consider. Instead, my betting tip is Portugal’s -1.00 Asian handicap at 1.99.

First-game jitters are expected, especially in tournaments of this stature. Despite winning their opening match, it’s fair to say that fans, this SBOTOP writer included, expected a little more oomph from Portugal. 

Now, with a game under their belts, it’s not hard to imagine that Selecao will have a more cohesive and coordinated performance next time out.

   

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