One week before the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia, the European champion uses the last chance for a test. At the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon Portugal receives the national team of Algeria. The European champion currently does not seem to be in World Cup form. Of the last five internationals Selecao Portuguesa could win only one. And even this victory came just barely: Until the 92nd Minute had been back in the test against Egypt with 0: 1, as Ronaldo with two goals until the 94th minute, the game still for the European champions turned. Portugal drew three times during this period: against the USA, Tunisia and Belgium. In addition came a 0-3 home defeat against the Netherlands. Can Portugal get some tailwind for their first World Cup match against Spain with a win against Algeria?
Portugal:
The European champion is currently preparing for the World Cup in the Cidade de Futebol near Lisbon. Portugal had in the World Cup qualifier in the group B ran. There was a head-to-head race with Switzerland right from the start. Ronaldo and Co. had lost the first group game in Switzerland. After that you could all win the next eight games in a row. On the final day of the match, the showdown against the Swiss, who had won the first nine qualifying matches, was celebrated. The Swiss would have been in Lisbon a point to win the group. But Portugal secured themselves with a 2-0 victory, the direct World Cup ticket in the end only due to the better goal difference. In the ten qualifying games, the Portguies had scored 32 goals and conceded only four goals. The World Cup in Russia means for the reigning European champion the fifth participation in a final round.
With 15 goals in qualifying, Cristiano Ronaldo once again played a large part in the success of his team. Another star of hope is young star André Silva, who moved from FC Porto to AC Milan this summer for 38 million euros. He is considered in the national team as designated successor to CR7. As with the European Championship, coach Fernando Santos continues to focus on defensive stability and good organization. But the defense of the former Champions League winner Pepe is slowly getting old. Santos had taken over the team in September 2014.
Since winning the European Championship title, the Portuguese suffered four defeats: In addition to losing to Switzerland lost two friendly matches, at home against Sweden and the Netherlands. In addition, they lost to the Confed Cup on penalties against Chile. Otherwise you could win 16 international matches and played four draws. The Confederations Cup finished the coach of Santos in third place. Portugal will face Spain, Morocco and Iran at Group B World Cup. Directly in the first group match, it comes to a duel against fellow favorite Spain. With Raphael Guerreiro of Borussia Dortmund is only a professional from the Bundesliga in the squad of the European champion.
Algeria:
After a 9-2 victory over Tanzania in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers played Algeria in Group B of the continental association CAF against Nigeria, Zambia and Cameroon for a ticket to Russia. With only one win, a draw and four defeats, the Algerian national football team finished at the bottom of the last place in the group. In six games, the desert fox scored six goals and scored ten goals. It was Algeria in 2014 in the fourth World Cup participation in history still came in the second round and was there only extremely scarce with 1: 2 after extra time against the eventual champion Germany excreted. In October 2017, Rabah Madjer became Algerian national coach for the fourth time. At Bayern you should not have so good memories of Madjer: The Algerian shot the FC Porto 1987 in the final of the national champion cup with a Hackentor to victory against the German record champions.
After the 2-3 home defeat of Algeria against the Cape Verde Islands last Friday, Madjer is facing the dismissal. It was the third consecutive bankruptcy for the Fennecs. If rumors and hints from Algerian Football Association President Kheireddine Zetchi are voiced, Madjer will look after the Algerian national football team against Portugal for the last time. His successor seems already to be established with Rabah Saadane. But also names like Carlos Queiroz or Vahid Halilhodzic are traded. As bad as the Algerians have been in recent months, they are not actually playing in the national team but stars such as Mahrez and Slimani (both Leicester City), Ghoulam (SSC Naples) or Bentableb (FC Schalke 04).
PREDICTION: Under 2.5 goals @ 1.80
