Portugal Vs. Denmark Prediction: Host Must Comeback Or Dismiss Embarrassing At Home!

Rasmus Hojlund celebration in front of Cristiano Ronaldo. (photo: x @TouchlineX)

JAKARTA - Lisbon will witness the second leg of the UEFA Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark on Sunday evening, March 23. Portugal tried to bounce back after a narrow defeat in the first leg, while Denmark came with a one-goal aggregate advantage thanks to Rasmus Hojlund's late goal.

Portugal appeared under expectations in the first match in Copenhagen on Thursday 20 March. Christian Eriksen missed a penalty in the first half for Denmark, but finally Rasmus Hojlund emerged as a hero with the winner in the final minutes of the match.

This defeat is the first for Portugal since being eliminated from Euro 2024 in the quarter-finals by France. Now, Roberto Martinez's side have won only one win in their last four matches, something of concern ahead of this decisive match.

Portugal previously won the 2018-19 edition of the UEFA Nations League after beating the Netherlands in the final. If they were eliminated in the quarter-finals this time by Denmark, it would be a huge blow to their talented squad. With the 2026 World Cup getting closer, Portugal wants to show that they are big powers, even though they have only made it through the last 16 of the tournament once since 2006.

Despite losing in the first leg, Portugal had a positive record against Denmark with 11 wins from 17 of their meetings. Prior to last Thursday's match, they also had recorded three consecutive wins against the Scandinavian team.

Denmark Condition

Denmark got a big boost with a win in the first leg, especially after poor results in their last few games. Before winning over Portugal, Brian Riemer's side have never won in the last four games, including two defeats to Spain and a draw against Serbia in the group stage of the Nations League.

At Euro 2024, Denmark was stopped in the round of 16 after losing to Germany with a score of 2-0. They are now ambitious to make history by winning the UEFA Nations League for the first time.

Rasmus Hojlund's performance is a major concern. The Manchester United striker just ended his 21-match goal drought by scoring United's 3-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League. His first leg against Portugal added to his confidence, and most likely he will be given the chance to play from the start minutes of this match.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez is unlikely to make many changes to his line despite negative results in the first leg. Cristiano Ronaldo remains the main choice up front despite failing to score in Copenhagen. Bruno Fernandes also almost certainly fills the attacking midfield position, while Pedro Neto is predicted to continue playing to provide speed up in attack.

In midfield, the duo of Paris Saint-Germain, Vitinha and Joao Neves, appear to be again trusted to maintain the balance of Portugal's games.

In the Danish camp, Hojlund will most likely replace Mika Biereth as a starter after his impressive appearance as a substitute in the first leg. Patrick Dorgu, who came on as a substitute in the previous game, still seems to be starting the game off the bench in order to maintain backline stability.

Brian Riemer is not expected to change much in the defense, while Eriksen will remain the creator of the attack with the support of Morten Hjulmand and Christian Norgaard in midfield.

This match will be a tough test for Portugal, who must win to advance to the semifinals. While Denmark will try to maintain their lead and make a new history in the UEFA Nations League

Estimated Lineup Of Players

Portugal (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Antonio Silva, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Joao Neves; Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao; Cristiano Ronaldo.

Denmark (4-2-3-1): Kasper Schmeichel; Rasmus Kristensen, Joachim Andersen, Jannik Vestergaard, Joakim Maehle; Morten Hjulmand, Christian Norgaard; Gustav Isaksen, Christian Eriksen, Jesper Lindstrom; Rasmus Hojlund.