Not all friendlies are treated equally.
After getting embarrassed, 5-2, by Belgium in a friendly on Saturday, the U.S. Men’s National Team returns to the scene of the crime for a showdown with Portugal on Tuesday night.
Cristiano Ronaldo did not make the trip to Atlanta, but Roberto Martinez’s side is still an odds-on favorite on the three-way moneyline.
The Yanks have just two friendlies left on the schedule before the 2026 World Cup, so it’s crucial for Mauricio Pochettino to get his house in order with a strong showing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday.
USA vs. Portugal odds, prediction
7 p.m. ET, TNT
The last calendar year has been maddening for the USMNT.
They’ve had some impressive results, including a 5-1 win over Uruguay and a 2-0 victory against Japan, but those have been bookended by some embarrassing efforts.
The Stars and Stripes were pasted by Switzerland, 4-0, in June, shutout by Korea, 2-0, in September, and now we can add the shellacking by Belgium to the heap.
In between all of that, there has been some funky off-field drama, leading to questions about whether or not the team is on the same page as it heads into a home World Cup.
A win over Portugal can silence some critics, but that will be easier said than done.
Os Navegadores, themselves, will be looking to improve on a tepid nil-nil draw against Mexico on Saturday. The Portuguese dominated the ball in that match, but they struggled to break down El Tri‘s low block, managing just two shots on target in 90 minutes.
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Although the results won’t matter much to Martinez or his side, the Portuguese will want to see more attacking flair against the USMNT, which could spell serious trouble for Pochettino.
While the USMNT has enough depth in the midfield and up front, the defense is still a work in progress, and that showed in a big way against Belgium.
Expect the Yanks to try and relieve some of the pressure on the backline by playing a more attacking brand of soccer, leading to plenty of scoring opportunities on both sides of the pitch.
The Play: Over 3.5 goals (+130, DraftKings)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
