Spain vs Portugal LIVE Football Score 27 Sept 2022

Spain vs Portugal LIVE Football Score 27 Sept 2022

MATCH INFO

ABOUT THE MATCH

With a spot in the Finals of the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League on the line, Portugal and Spain prepare for battle in League A Group 2 at the Estadio Municipal on Tuesday evening.

Fernando Santos‘s men ran out 4-0 victors over the Czech Republic in their most recent encounter, while their Iberian counterparts lost their grip on top spot with a 2-1 loss to Switzerland.

No Joao Cancelo? No problem for Portugal. The Manchester City man was forced to watch Saturday’s game with the Czech Republic from the naughty step, but Diogo Dalot deputised exceptionally well with a brace in that 4-0 triumph.

Diogo Jota and Bruno Fernandes also got their names on the scoresheet as Santos’s side gave themselves the best possible chance of making the Nations League Finals, and with it the chance to earn their second title in the tournament in three years.

With 10 points accrued from a possible 15, the 2018-19 champions have usurped Spain to first place in the table with one game to go, and a draw would be enough for the Selecao to advance to the four-team finals, but three points will still be of paramount importance.

The Czech Republic’s failure to make the net ripple on Saturday represented Portugal’s third clean sheet from their last four Nations League outings, and the Selecao have only conceded two goals in the entire tournament – the best defensive record from any of the 16 teams in League A.

Santos’s side also welcome Spain to their headquarters having won each of their last four home matches in all competitions, and they have only ever failed to win two of their nine Nations League games in front of their own supporters so far.

Victory for Spain over Switzerland would have kept them in the driving seat no matter what on matchday five, but the fate of Luis Enrique‘s side is now out of their own hands after a surprise 2-1 defeat to the Rossocrociati at the weekend.

Jordi Alba had levelled for La Roja after Manuel Akanji‘s 21st-minute opener, but Breel Embolo struck not long after the former had restored parity for Spain to condemn the hosts to their first home defeat in nearly four years.

Enrique – who controversially went without a recognised striker as Alvaro Morata warmed the bench – pulled no punches after the game, claiming that his crop made more errors across the 90 minutes than in any previous Roja match he had taken charge of.

Now forced to adopt a gung-ho approach in their bid to make the Nations League finals, only a win will do for last year’s runners-up in Braga, but Alba’s equaliser on Saturday did at least mark a 19th consecutive game in which Spain had found the back of the net.

Enrique’s outfit were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Portugal on matchday one, with Ricardo Horta coming up with a late response to Morata’s opener, and that result marked the fourth stalemate in a row between the two Iberian nations – such a scoreline would benefit the Selecao more than the visitors here.

Portugal possible starting lineup:
Costa; Dalot, Dias, Pereira, Cancelo; Neves, Palhinha, Fernandes; B. Silva, Ronaldo, Leao

Spain possible starting lineup:
Simon; Carvajal, Garcia, Torres, Alba; Koke, Rodri, Pedri; Sarabia, Morata, Torres