The decisive clash of the Group B between Iran and Portugal was finished in a 1-1 stalemate at +300, while Iran missed a huge opportunity to grab a win in the dying moments of the second half. The match was expectedly ended in the under of the total of 2.5 goals at -125, while the odds on both teams to score were set at +100.
Game Recap
Portugal started aggressively, pushing forward straight from the kick-off, while Iran decided to play their well-known game, parking the bus in front of their goalkeeper. After missing some decent scoring opportunities, Portugal took the lead in the 45th minute when Ricardo Quaresma scored with a terrific right-foot shot to gladden the bettors who wagered on Portugal to win the first half at +120.
Cristiano Ronaldo had an excellent chance to double the lead eight minutes into the second half, but Iran’s goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand saved his shot from the penalty kick. The drama began three minutes into the stoppage time when Iranians got the penalty. Karim Ansarifard made it 1-1, and just one minute later, Mehdi Taremi missed a tremendous opportunity to send Portugal home, and qualify his team for the Round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup.
In the end, Portugal had the ball in possession for 67% of the time, taking 14 shots from which four went on target. On the other side, Iran took eight shots towards Rui Patricio, but only two went on target. Portugal was a clear -164 favorite to win this clash, so plenty of bettors are surely disappointed with the final outcome, as some wagered on Portugal to cover the spread at -1.5 with the wages at +175.
With this stalemate, Portugal has qualified for the knock-out stage at the 2018 World Cup, finishing at the second spot of the Group B table. Cristiano Ronaldo and co. will face Uruguay as slight +170 favorites, according to BetDSI Sportsbook, while the odds on Portugal to beat the 2018 World Cup are set at +1800.
