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Nearing the end of their preparations to co-host the next edition of the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1994, USA host Portugal in an international friendly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday night.
Last week, Mauricio Pochettino's side were handed a pre-World Cup ‘reality check' when they were thrashed 5-2 by Belgium, despite heading into half time ahead.
The Americans went on to concede five second-half goals and will be eager to put in a good performance in with the biggest sporting event in the world edging nearer.
As for Roberto Martinez and his Portuguese side, they qualified for the World Cup after topping a group that contained the Republic of Ireland, Hungary and Armenia.
Although losing in Dublin in the penultimate match of their qualifying campaign, Portugal responded with a 9-1 thrashing over the Armenians.
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USA vs Portugal key stats
- The pair have met just seven times in their history, with the last two results ending in a draw and the last Portugal win coming in 1990.
- Martinez's side scored 20 goals in six qualifying games and conceded just seven in that time.
- USA were unbeaten in five before their loss to Belgium, winning four and drawing one in that impressive run.
USA vs Portugal: Can the Americans return to winning ways?
| USA | vs | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| 15th | FIFA ranking | 6th |
| Christian Pulisic (83) | Most caps | Bruno Fernandes (86) |
| Christian Pulisic (32) | Most goals | Bruno Fernandes (28) |
| 760 | Total caps | 601 |
| 115 | Total goals | 94 |
| 1 | Uncapped players | 2 |
The United States men's national soccer team appeared in every World Cup from 1990 to 2014 but failed to qualify in 2018, marking the first time they had missed the tournament since 1986. They have hosted the competition once before, in 1994, and will do so again this summer, taking their total to two.
In the run-up to football's biggest competition, they have three more friendlies in which they take on Portugal, Senegal and Germany.
Portugal have scored 11 goals in their last six games, nine of which came in one game.
The Americans have been drawn in Group D and for obvious reasons did not need to qualify.
Their group contains Paraguay and Australia and either Bosnia-Herzegovina or Italy, who play in their playoff final on Tuesday night.
USA had won three in a row before their 5-2 defeat, beating Uruguay 5-1 during their impressive win.
The visitors have Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K with the final team joining them yet to be decided, their game against the USA will be their final match before the World Cup gets underway.
| USA | vs | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| D-W-W-W-L | Form | W-D-L-W-D |
| 12 | Goals For | 12 |
| 9 | Goals Against | 5 |
| W-W-L | Int'l friendly form | L-W-D |
Whispers predicts: USA 1-2 Portugal
Given their higher ranking and squad depth, it it no surprise to see Portugal backed as favourites at 5/6.
Both sides have been finding the back of the net regularly recently, so it is no surprise to see BTTS - Yes priced at 4/7.
We are backing both of those to come in with Roberto Martinez's side winning 2-1 in Atlanta.
That exact scoreline is available at 15/2.
> BTTS - Yes at 4/7| Likelihood: Probable
> Over 2.5 goals at 13/12 | Likelihood: Possible
> USA to win at 14/5 | Likelihood: Outsider