Published Jun 10, 5:53am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jun 10, 5:53am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Jun 10, 5:53am ET
Action in Group K at the FIFA World Cup gets underway on June 17. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will be aiming to make a strong start when they open their campaign against DR Congo.
The African nation will be overlooked in the betting on MD1, but they could be an interesting selection to challenge Colombia for one of the two automatic qualifying positions.
|
|
|---|---|
| Portugal | -365 |
| DRAW | +500 |
| DR Congo | +1100 |
Roberto Martinez’s Portugal open their World Cup campaign in Houston on June 17. Portugal have been in excellent form over the last 18 months, which includes a second Nations League success last summer. Lusos dominated their qualifying campaign, winning four of their six fixtures, and scoring an impressive 20 goals.
Portugal’s roster is stacked for this summer, with world-leading midfielders such as Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and Joao Neves all set to shine. Cristiano Ronaldo will lead the line after scoring eight goals in his last ten internationals.
ALSO SEE: World Cup 2026 Outright Winner Odds, Preview, and Picks
Sébastien Desabre will lead DR Congo into their second ever World Cup campaign this summer. The African nation have never won a match at the competition, but they enjoyed their best-ever qualifying campaign to book their spot at the tournament.
Congo won nine of their 13 qualifiers, with their spot this summer assured after beating Jamaica in an Inter-Confederation Playoff in March. Since then, they have come up short against higher-ranked nations, drawing against Denmark and losing against Chile.
I like Portugal’s chances of going deep at the World Cup this summer. Therefore, I fully expect the European nation to dominate this fixture against DR Congo to set the tone for the tournament ahead.
|
Pick
Portugal (-365)
|
New Player Bonus
50% up to $1000
|
