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The dominant defense of Morocco will try to halt the prolific scoring of Portugal when the teams meet Saturday in a 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal at Al Thumama Stadium. Morocco are in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in their sixth World Cup appearance after knocking off Spain on Tuesday. The game was tied 0-0 after extra time, and Morocco have allowed only an own goal in the tournament. Meanwhile, Portugal come in off a 6-1 demolition of Switzerland on Tuesday, despite superstar Cristiano Ronaldo starting the match on the bench. They have been to the semifinals twice in seven previous tournaments.
Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Portugal as -145 favorites (risk $145 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in its latest Morocco vs. Portugal odds, with Morocco the +440 underdogs. A draw is listed at +255, while the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you make any Portugal vs. Morocco picks, you need to see the 2022 World Cup predictions and best bets from proven SportsLine soccer insider Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been spot-on. Green has generated almost $35,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season. He has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Now, Green has broken down the Morocco vs. Portugal matchup from every angle and just locked in his 2022 World Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Green’s picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Portugal vs. Morocco:
- Morocco vs. Portugal spread: Portugal -0.5 (-155)
- Morocco vs. Portugal over/under: 2.5 goals
- Morocco vs. Portugal moneyline: Morocco +440, Portugal -145, Draw +255
- MOR: Morocco have allowed one goal or fewer in 14 of their past 17 matches
- POR: Portugal have scored two or more goals in nine of their past 13 matches
- Morocco vs. Portugal picks: See picks here
Featured Game | Morocco vs. Portugal
Why you should back Portugal
The talk of Tuesday was the absence of Ronaldo from the starting 11, but the move more than paid off as 21-year-old Goncalo Ramos recorded a hat trick. The young Benfica star leads the Portuguese Primeira Liga with nine goals in 11 matches for the league leaders. He has played just four matches with the national squad. Portugal appears to have been motivated by the 2-1 loss to South Korea on a stoppage-time goal in the group-stage finale. Their only other losses in 2022 (9-1-3) have been 1-0 to Spain and 1-0 to the Swiss team they demolished Tuesday.
Portugal put nine of their 15 shots on target in the Round of 16 match, while Morocco have put just 10 on net in the entire tournament. The Atlas Lions also are averaging just 33% possession, while Portugal have been at 60 or more in three of four. The exception was Tuesday’s rout. Before the explosion of Ramos, Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United was the expected star, and he scored both goals against Uruguay in the group stage.
Why you should back Morocco
The Atlas Lions have allowed only an own goal in a 2-1 victory against Canada in their past eight games. They play with a ton of energy and aggression and shut down passing and shooting lanes to frustrate opponents. Captain Romain Saiss and Nayef Aguerd in the middle of the back line get the ball out of danger areas quickly, and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is capable of making big saves. Spain put one of their 13 shots on target Tuesday, and Bounou saved two penalties after the first went off the post. He has 28 clean sheets in his 47 starts.
Their defense-first approach allows fullbacks Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui to break out down the wings. Hakimi is one of the fastest players in the tournament and shares the team lead in shot-creating actions with nine. Sofiane Bousal and Hakim Ziyech also have nine, and they are joined up front by Youssef En-Nesyri in an attack that is capable of finishing. The three have combined for 41 international goals.
How to make Morocco vs. Portugal picks
Green has scrutinized the Portugal vs. Morocco match from every angle. He is leaning Over on the goal total and provides two confident best bets, including a strong pick on the winner, and has a full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing his World Cup picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So, who wins Morocco vs. Portugal on Saturday? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Portugal vs. Morocco, all from the European soccer expert who has generated almost $35,000 for $100 bettors over the past four seasons, and find out.
