Portugal vs Croatia Predictions – Round of 32 (Match 12)

Portugal will be looking to flick the switch on Thursday after a slightly stop-start Group Stage that saw them finish second in Group K with two draws either side of a 5-0 thumping of Uzbekistan. They’re still unbeaten, but there’s no doubt Roberto Martinez’s side has another gear to find in the knockouts. 

Croatia arrive with a bit of momentum after recovering from a 4-2 loss to England, grinding out wins over Panama and Ghana to book their spot in the Round of 32. As always, this is a side that knows how to hang around in tournament football, particularly with Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic still capable of controlling the tempo. 

Croatia won’t make this easy, and given they’ve found the net in every Group Stage game, they look capable of asking a few questions. The concern, though, is whether they can live with Portugal’s depth for the full 90 minutes, especially if Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leão, Vitinha, and Cristiano Ronaldo start to find space between the lines. 

Portugal’s record in this matchup is hard to ignore as well, losing just one of 10 meetings against Croatia across all competitions. It might not be straightforward, but their extra class in the final third should be enough to get the job done. 

Prediction: Croatia to Cover (+1 Goal) @ $2.05 

Value: Croatia to Lead at Anytime @ $2.50 

Player Pick: Rafael Leao Anytime Goalscorer @ $3.30