Portugal vs Uzbekistan Prediction: Back a plethora of Portuguese to be Carded

Portugal are in a spot of bother ahead of their second game against Uzbekistan after a 1-1 draw first up and will need to improve if they’re to justify their status as one of the favourites. ITV has the live broadcast for this one with kick-off set for 6PM on Tuesday evening.

But Jamie Pacheco is far more interested in the big prices on Portugal players getting carded than the outcome, so is splitting his stakes across three of them as he takes us through his Portugal vs Uzbekistan Predictions...

2026 World Cup

Group K

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts	Form
1	Colombia	1	1	0	0	3	1	2	3	W
2	DR Congo	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1	D
3	Portugal	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1	D
4	Uzbekistan	1	0	0	1	1	3	-2	0	L

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Portugal  

It was really disappointing stuff from Portugal first up.  

It's hard to know what was worse: the 1-1 result against a Congo side that they were expected to beat comfortably, or the level of the performance. What performance, to be precise?  

Things couldn't have started any better with a fine goal from the all-action João Neves but Portugal returned to their bad old habits, trying to manage a lead rather than building on it, conceding a sloppy goal and then not having any sense of urgency about them when they were level. The same possession-based game, the same endless passes, the same absence of a cutting edge that has haunted this team in the past.  

For what it's worth, I don't blame Roberto Martinez for keeping Ronaldo on for the full 90. They needed a goal, and Martinez thought he was the best man to have around to finish one of their chances off. But he had two decent chances and missed them both, so plenty to prove here for a man who is on a bad goal drought at tournaments. He'll almost certainly start here again, but I'm not sure he'll last the distance this time.   

Bernardo Silva had a poor first half and was booked early on and hooked at the break. He may give way for a quicker player in that wide position he was used in.   

Uzbekistan  

Uzbekistan found an experienced Colombia too good for them first up and may just have felt the pressure of paying a World Cup match for the first time in their history a bit too much.  

But they certainly weren't humbled and competed well for most of the match. After all, it was 1-1 after 60 minutes before the classy Luis Diaz of Bayern Munich put the Colombians 2-1 up, with Jaminton Campaz finishing the job off.  

Abdukodir Khusanov is their best-known player by some distance and made an impact after arriving at Manchester City last season. He was their only player booked in the first game and should have his hands full here again.  

Portugal vs Uzbekistan Odds

Portugal are 1/5 with the draw 11/2 and Uzbekistan 14/1.  

Let's put it this way: given the way Portugal played in the first match and the trend for massive outsiders getting something from the game so far this tournament, that's not a price I'd even contemplate backing them at, considering you're risking a fiver just to win a quid.  

Somewhat unsurprisingly, these two have never played each other.  

Player to be carded  

Despite dominating the game against Congo, three Portugal players were carded to just one Congolese one, a reminder that indiscipline and being under the cosh aren't always connected. Also, a reminder that Portugal players have history when it comes to letting frustration boil over and not having a problem with taking one for the team to stop an attack, as happened with Nélson Semedo late in the game against Congo.  

The nice thing here is that the market doesn't see things that way and thinks that Portuguese players won't need to resort to indiscipline. Let's see, but some of these prices are too good to turn down.  

At 11/2, we have Bruno Fernandes, almost certain to play 90 minutes and just the sort of man who does let frustration get the better of him.  

Also at 11/2, we have Pedro Neto, cut from the same cloth as Fernandes and booked 12 times last season.  

And at 6/1 we have João Neves, booked eight times last season, sent off once and who will be involved in everything in the middle of the park. Any one of those three getting booked will see us show a good profit.   

Player 1+ Assists - Nuno Mendes to get an assist @ 4/1  

And at 4/1, we can back Nuno Mendes to get an assist. He didn't look his usual self against Congo, but he should be better for the run, and they'll need far more from him on that left-hand wing.

He produced eight assists last season despite only playing half of PSG's league games and could be good for one here. If he gets it, we'll also end the day in profit even if none of those players gets booked.