Roberto Martinez and his inspired Portugal side will enter next year’s Euro 2024 on the back of ten straight wins and a picture-perfect record in the qualifiers. Their last game of this calendar year concluded with a straightforward victory over an uninspired Iceland side, who seemed devoid of ideas. Tactical analysis and match report by Rahul […]
Though Portugal were the heavy favorites coming into the game, they were no match for the Moroccans’ perfect defensive setup. They completely restricted Portugal’s final third play and even nicked an early goal on the counterattack, which gave them the freedom to sit in and place all of their focus on defending their lead. Tactical […]
Portugal proved that they are better off without Cristiano Ronaldo with a big win over Switzerland, scoring as many goals in one match as they did during the entire group stage. Benfica youngster Gonçalo Ramos was the star, registering three goals in what was a dominant and physical display from the striker. Tactical analysis and […]
Though had little direct impact on the match for the first ninety minutes, Son Heung-min was the savior for South Korea as his incredible run led to the assist (and goal) that secured South Korea’s advancement to the knockout stage of the World Cup. It was a largely passive performance from Portugal, as they had […]
Bruno Fernandes stole the show against Uruguay, as he scored both of the goals that allowed Portugal qualification for the knockout stages of the World Cup. It was a far too conservative approach from Uruguay throughout the first seventy minutes of the match, but Diego Alonso’s substitutions rejuvenated his side enough to make the match […]
After a slow first half from both sides, a more open second half led to a flurry of goals. Portugal capitalized on transition moments to go 3-1 up in a flash, though a late goal from Osman Bukhari made the nine minutes of stoppage time a cagey affair for Fernado Santos’ team. Tactical analysis and […]
As Fernando Santos leads Portugal to their second World Cup under his tenure, there are many questions surrounding the squad going to Qatar. Though Portugal seem to be one of the oddsmakers’ better rated teams going into the tournament, a combination of underlying issues in the squad and antiquated tactics may hinder them from making […]
Giving up the high ground to their neighbors before the kickoff, Spain knew the imperative laid with them to force the issue. Still struggling to make the most of their dominance of the ball and the territory throughout the match, their growing enterprise paved the way to a dramatic finale. Tactical analysis and match report […]
After their shock success against Italy in one of the European playoff semifinals, North Macedonia had yet another massive hurdle to overcome if they were to realize their World Cup dream. Though North Macedonia put up a brave resistance initially, the hosts were able to comfortably prevail in the end. Tactical analysis and match report […]
International breaks are typically relatively quiet periods in the footballing world, but there was no rest this time around as the last few spots for the 2022 World Cup were up for grabs. In Europe, one of the playoff semifinals saw Portugal face Turkey, with the winner set to meet either Italy or North Macedonia […]