Switzerland v Portugal - Selections

Switzerland v Portugal
Euro 2008 – Group
Sunday 15 June, 7.45pm (UK time)

How often do sides win all three of their opening-round matches at a Euro finals? The answer, Portugal fans will be pleased to hear, is more than you might think.

Five of eight sides going into their final group game with two wins already under their belt have made it a hat-trick of victories since the finals were held in France way back in 1984. And there’s more good news for Portugal, who are 11/8 to win: they did it themselves, at Euro 2000, in Belgium and the Netherlands.

So those who write off Luz Felipe Scolari’s men here, on the grounds they have already won the group and will enjoy of couple of extra days rest preparing for the quarter-finals, beware. True, Switzerland, 12/5 to win, will want to go out in style having already been eliminated despite a couple of plucky performances, but Portuguese class makes it foolish to write them off.

There could also be quite a few goals. The evidence from recent tournaments is that the final group games are high-scoring. Since 2000, 12 of 16 final group games have had over 2.5 goals (five of eight in 2000 and seven out of eight four years ago), which makes the price of 11/10 on over 2.5 goals worth taking.

Recommended bets:
2pts Portugal to win at 5/4
2pts on over 2.5 goals at Evens