| There is still just under a week to go until the start of the European Championships, so there is plenty of time for the Portugal to recover from the maximum strain. This match is also the final dress rehearsal and therefore the last opportunity to test the team, and that too in front of their own fans. If the Portuguese are serious and use their full footballing potential, Ireland will not be able to do much to counter them. The 2016 European champions are simply too strong for that. However, coach John O'Shea deserves compliments, as his boys managed to achieve their first victory over a national team not called Gibraltar since March 2023 with a 2-1 win over Hungary a few days ago. Both teams have met not long ago. Their paths crossed a year ago on the way to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with Ireland doing surprisingly well in both cases 0-0 at home and losing 1-2 away. Portugal will want to go to Germany in a good mood and that will happen only with a win before the start of their Euro campaign. |
