Despite being one of the rank outsiders in the group, Luxembourg made a respectable start to their UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign, bravely holding onto a goalless draw against Slovakia. The lowly-ranked #92 Luxembourg will now hope a positive result against a team 83 places higher than them in the FIFA world rankings can inspire hope they can end an eight-game winless sequence in Euros qualifiers (D2, L6).
The Red Lions possess a truly miserable record on this stage though, winning just four of their last 59 qualifiers (D5, L50). That includes a three-match losing streak on home soil in European qualifiers, a run bookended by a 2-0 defeat to Portugal. Another visit from the Portuguese ought to instil dread among the Luxembourg faithful given their awful historical H2H record (W1, D1, L17), with that sole victory coming way back in 1961!
Portugal are red-hot favourites to win this group and got their campaign, and the Roberto Martínez era, off to the perfect start with a 4-0 thumping of minnows Liechtenstein in Lisbon. Martinez impressed fans by singing the Portuguese national anthem before kick-off, while he admitted post-game “it’s very special’ to represent the national team” as he seeks to lay to bed the demons of Portugal Euro 2020 last-16 exit.
Portugal have boasted recent success in this competition though, and were victors in 2016, and now Martínez will look to repeat the act by claiming his first major trophy since lifting the FA Cup with Wigan back in 2013. Qualifying must be negotiated safely first, but that ought to be straightforward given that the Seleção have lost just one away Euro qualifier since 2011 (W7, D1).
Players to watch: Luxembourg winger Gerson Rodrigues is one goal away from becoming his country’s joint-record goalscorer. He plies his trade in Saudi Arabia like Cristiano Ronaldo, who celebrated becoming the most capped male international player of all-time with a brace against Liechtenstein. He also scored a hat-trick in his last meeting with Luxembourg (POR W 5-0).
Hot stat: Five of Portugal last eight wins have seen them score 4+ goals.
