Portugal vs Slovakia

Estádio do Dragão is the venue as Portugal and Slovakia lock horns in a top-table UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group J six-pointer.

It’s been a dominant Euro 2024 qualifying campaign for Portugal, as they’ve won all six Group J matches by a combined score of 24-0, including a narrow 1-0 triumph in the reverse fixture against Slovakia. Roberto Martinez’s high-flying side laced up their scoring boots last time out, putting Luxembourg to the sword with an overwhelming 9-0 victory on home turf. That success puts Portugal on the cusp of qualifying for an eighth consecutive Euro finals. A win here would do the trick with a game to spare, but regardless of the outcome here, the ‘Selecao’ should appear in Germany next summer. It’s more likely that Portugal will get the job done this weekend as they’re unbeaten in their last five encounters against Slovakia (W4, D1).

In the meantime, Slovakia bounced back from the reverse H2H defeat with a comprehensive 3-0 home triumph over continental minnows Liechtenstein last time out, moving a step closer to reaching a third consecutive European Championship. That loss to Portugal remains the only blemish on Slovakia’s otherwise near-perfect Group J record (W4, D1), as they start this round second in the standings, three points clear of third-placed Luxembourg. Defensive resilience has been Slovakia’s hallmark under Francesco Calzona’s tutelage, with only Portugal and France boasting more clean sheets than the ‘Falcons’ (4) in the ongoing qualifying cycle. Moreover, only six sides have conceded fewer goals than Slovakia (2), suggesting they won’t go down without a fight despite the odds.