Portugal heads into this fixture as the clear favorite. The team has won all three of their opening matches in Group F, crushing Armenia 5-0 and beating Hungary away 3-2, despite the Hungarians taking the lead at one point.
The last outing against Ireland also ended in victory for Roberto Martínez’s squad. These results have put Portugal atop the group, giving them a psychological edge ahead of the next showdown. The team has showcased excellent possession and the ability to turn matches around, even when faced with stiff opposition.
Portugal’s motivation is sky-high: a home match against Hungary presents a golden opportunity to secure World Cup qualification ahead of schedule, potentially rendering the November fixtures a mere formality. To achieve this, they need a win and for Armenia to drop points against Ireland in the parallel game.
Another intriguing subplot is the potential record for Cristiano Ronaldo. A goal from the global superstar would cement his status as the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifying history. The Al-Nassr leader could have done it in the previous match, but failed to convert a penalty against Kelleher.
Hungary enters the match as the chaser. After the first two rounds, the team suffered a 2-3 defeat to Portugal and drew 2-2 with Ireland, which all but dashed their hopes for direct World Cup qualification.
In their last game, Hungary showed great fighting spirit by defeating Armenia. Marco Rossi’s side secured second place in the group and maintain a solid chance of making the playoffs.
Tactically, against stronger teams, Hungary relies on a compact defense and swift counter-attacks, especially down the flanks. They are dangerous on set pieces, but when under sustained pressure, their defensive line sometimes falters, leading to conceded goals.
There’s no room for retreat, so the Hungarians must put up a fight against Portugal as they’re at risk of losing second place. Still, the next game can’t be called decisive — everything will be settled in November against Armenia and Ireland.
Match facts
- Portugal are unbeaten in their last six matches.
- At home, Portugal have won six matches in a row.
- Hungary have scored exactly two goals in each of their last four matches.
- Hungary have won just one of their last four away games.
- Portugal average 2.5 goals per home game, while Hungary average 1.4 goals per away game.
Probable lineups
- Portugal: Costa, Dias, Inácio, Mendes, Dalot, Vitinha, Fernandes, Palhinha, Silva, Leão, Ronaldo.
- Hungary: Toth, Nego, Orbán, Szalai, Kerkez, Schäfer, Styles, Bolla, Szoboszlai, Gruber, Lukács.
