Portugal Women vs Switzerland Women Predictions

• Portugal are appearing in just their second major women’s tournament, only qualifying this year due to Russia’s expulsion.
• Portugal have lost three of their last four competitive games.
• Switzerland sit 10 places higher than Portugal in the FIFA world rankings, and won their last meeting in 2019.
• Swiss boss Nils Nielsen has previous experience of a successful Women’s Euros, reaching the final with Denmark in 2017.

Group C outsiders do battle

Having been drawn into a group containing reigning champions the Netherlands and Europe’s highest-ranked nation (and back-to-back Olympic silver medallists) Sweden, neither Portugal or Switzerland are fancied to reach the Euro 2022 knockout stages. That makes a bright start vital for both when they meet in Leigh, and Nils Nielsen’s Swiss outfit may just hold the edge.

Nielsen was a beaten finalist in the last edition of the tournament when coaching Denmark in 2017, while Switzerland won their last meeting with Portugal 3-1 back in late 2019. Switzerland, ranked 20th in the world by FIFA, have failed to win any of their last four competitive games, but their last two defeats came in friendlies against top opponents in England and Germany, and a Portugal side which originally failed to qualify for this tournament represents a different proposition.

Indeed, Claudia Neto’s Selecao das Quinas lost a play-off against Russia after finishing as runners-up to Finland in their qualification group, before being admitted in their opponents’ place due to the war in Ukraine. Portugal have gone unbeaten in four games – albeit winning three against particularly poor teams in Bulgaria and Greece (two being friendlies), but have lost each of their last three clashes with top European sides to nil.

Swiss look set for a positive start

While neither of these teams look likely to threaten the heavy-hitters in Group C, Switzerland’s additional experience – coupled with the know-how of Nielsen, has them installed as favourites, and they should have enough about them to start with a win.

Meanwhile, the Swiss have only scored multiple goals in one of their six 2022 outings, so a narrow 1-0 win looks a decent correct score prediction.