Today at 21:00 Lithuanian time, the first semifinal of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup will take place in Kazan. Portugal and Chile will clash for a spot in the tournament final.
Portugal - Chile Tournament: Confederations Cup (Semifinal) Stadium: "Kazan Arena" (Kazan) Referee: Alireza Faghani (Iran) Date and time: 2017-06-28, 21:00
Both teams were considered main favorites to compete for the Confederations Cup trophies, but only one of them will have the opportunity to fight for it in the final. Portugal's team is well-equipped for these matches, and their chances of reaching the final with Cristiano Ronaldo are high.
Portugal started their journey in Group A with a match against Mexico. The champions of the Old Continent, coached by Fernando Santos, secured a victory with a goal by Hector Moreno in extra time. They continued with two more convincing wins in the group stage.
In their second group stage match, Portuguese players led by a fantastic Cristiano Ronaldo header defeated the Russians, and in the final match with a result of 4-0 left no chances for the New Zealand team.
Chile, on the other hand, started the tournament with a victory - scoring two goals at the end of the match against Cameroon. Later, their matches were not as successful - drawing with the teams of Germany and Australia. One victory and two draws did not secure the first position for the South American champions, leaving them behind the Germans.
Portugal's team has some painful losses before these matches. It is clear that the main pillar of Portuguese defense, Pepe, will be unable to play due to disqualification, and another defender, Raphael Guerreiro, is out of the tournament because of injury. It is also uncertain whether Bernardo Silva, who had muscle problems in the last match, will be able to play today.
Chile's team, on the other hand, doesn't have such problems with their lineup - defender Gary Medel, who missed the match against Australia, should definitely be ready for the semifinal, allowing Chile to play with their strongest lineup.
Predicted starting lineups: Portugal: Rui Patricio; Cedric, Bruno Alves, Jose Fonte, Eliseu; Bernardo Silva, William Carvalho, Adrien Silva, Andre Gomes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andre Silva. Chile: Claudio Bravo; Mauricio Isla, Gary Maudeau, Gonzalo Jara, Jean Beausejour; Pablo Hernandez, Marcelo Diaz, Charles Aranguiz, Arturo Vidal; Eduardo Vargas, Alexis Sanchez.
Match Prediction: There is no clear favorite in this confrontation - both teams have equal chances. Portugal will play without their key player in defense, but with the dangerous game of Alexis Sanchez, they can expect a threat at Rui Patricio's goal. However, Portugal has a huge offensive potential, led by Cristiano Ronaldo. If Bernardo Silva can play, Portugal's chances will increase significantly - the Manchester City newcomer is the engine of the team with the ball. Both teams have similar chances to progress, but Portugal, even with some losses in their lineup, can reach the final. Prediction - European champions triumph after extra time.
