Portugal and Argentina head into Tuesday’s game looking for a win to advance to the round of 16 of the World Cup.
The Portuguese are coming off a 1-0 win over South Korea thanks to Francisco Trincao’s seventh minute goal. After scoring, they dominated proceedings limiting the Koreans to just one just one target all game and could’ve had a few more themselves.
Argentina might feel a bit fortunate after their first game which was a 5-2 win over South Africa. Fausta Vera, Julian Alvarez, Adolfo Galch, and a brace from Ezequiel Barco helped them beat the African side who went down to 10 men late on. The game was locked in a stalemate until the 63rd minute when a VAR decision went against South Africa and it all fell a part from there on.
The sides have met twice in the competition; in 2011 they faced in the quarter-finals when they drew 0-0 as Portugal took a 5-4 win in penalties and went on to lose in the final.
They also faced in 1991 in Portugal in the group stage, the host country were 3-0 winners as they won the tournament that same year.
Argentina are the most successful country at this level with six wins, their last coming in 2007 and haven’t made it past the quarter-finals since 2011.
Portugal have won the tournament twice and have reached the quarters the last two editions, falling in penalties both times.
Kickoff is at 12 p.m. ET. on Tuesday afternoon at the Stadion Miejski Bielsko-Bala. The game will be televised in Canada on TSN 4.
Pierre's Footy Talk 