Portugal is set to face Poland after achieving consecutive victories, placing them at the top of their UEFA Nations League pool—League A Group 1—following the first two matches. Cristiano Ronaldo played a pivotal role in these September games, helping Portugal maintain a three-point lead over Poland ahead of this encounter.
Roberto Martinez continues to support Ronaldo, who aims to secure a spot in the FIFA 2026 World Cup despite being 39 years old. Victories against Poland and Scotland during this international break could guarantee a quarterfinal berth by finishing in the top two. Portugal is unbeaten in their last six encounters against Poland and will enter the match as favorites.
On the other hand, Poland is looking to bounce back from a disappointing UEFA Euro 2024 performance, and coach Michal Probierz is tasked with maximizing the potential of an aging squad. While their focus is on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, avoiding relegation in the Nations League is also crucial. Securing second place in the group is imperative as third place would lead to a relegation playoff, making this match vital for both teams.
Match details are as follows:
Date: Saturday, October 12
Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
Location: Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland
Broadcast: FS2 and Fubo (available for free trial)
Odds: Poland +400; Draw +300; Portugal -167
In their previous matches, Ronaldo’s contributions helped Portugal achieve a narrow victory over Croatia, coupled with a win against Scotland, bringing home six points. Ronaldo notably scored his 900th professional goal, relieving some disappointment from the Euro 2024 experience. Poland’s performance has also featured veteran Robert Lewandowski, who recently scored his 84th international goal against Scotland. However, Poland faced defeat against Croatia, leaving them with just three points alongside Scotland.
Team news reveals new additions for Poland, including Maxi Oyedele and Michael Ameyaw, while Jan Bednarek, Piotr Zielinski, and Lewandowski remain key veterans. Arkadiusz Milik’s injury means either Karol Swiderski or Krzysztof Piatek will likely partner with Lewandowski in attack.
Possible Poland XI: Skorupski; Dawidowicz, Bednarek, Walukiewicz; Frankowski, Szymanski, Zielinski, Urbanski, Zalewski; Swiderski, Lewandowski.
For Portugal, new players Ricardo Velho and Samu Costa join the squad, with Francisco Conceicao returning. However, Geovany Quenda and Pedro Goncalves are unavailable. Martinez may opt for a 4-3-3 formation, featuring both Ronaldo and Rafael Leao in a forward role.
Possible Portugal XI: Costa; Dalot, Dias, A. Silva, Mendes; B. Silva, Vitinha, Fernandes; Neto, Ronaldo, Leao.
In terms of predictions, the match is expected to be closely contested, but a narrow win for Portugal is anticipated, potentially led by Ronaldo. Poland will need to strategize their remaining matches to secure a second-place finish ahead of Croatia. Final prediction: Poland 0, Portugal 1.