Portugal vs Armenia Prediction 16 November 2025

🔈 Will the upcoming home clash be a walk in the park for the "team of the chosen"? One of the standout fixtures in Sunday's World Cup 2026 qualifiers is the matchup between Portugal and Armenia. The visitors have already lost any mathematical chance of advancing to the main stage of the tournament, making this trip purely a formality for them. Bookmakers hold little hope for an upset and predict an easy victory for Roberto Martinez's squad.

Head-to-Head

📊 In the 21st century, these teams have faced each other five times. Only once have the Armenians managed to avoid defeat against the "team of the chosen"—during the EURO 2008 qualifiers. Back then, in Yerevan, the home side managed to level the score at 1-1. In the first round of the current qualifying cycle, Portugal thrashed Armenia 5-0 at the Vazgen Sargsyan Stadium. We'll soon find out if the hosts can pose significant challenges on their home turf.

Portugal Team Overview

🔴 "The Chosen Team" have been navigating the current qualifying cycle quite successfully, virtually securing their spot in the main stage of the World Cup during the last international break. However, it's worth noting that Roberto Martinez's squad suffered an unexpected defeat to Ireland away, losing 0-2. A disastrous first half and a double substitution involving Cristiano Ronaldo in the 59th minute disrupted their tactical plan and were key factors in their eventual loss. Nevertheless, Portugal remain the highest-scoring team in their group, averaging 2.2 goals per game.

🟢 It's fair to say that "The Chosen Team" faltered in their last European qualifier. The primary issue facing Roberto Martinez's side was maintaining compactness in their defensive line. Troy Parrott's goal-scoring instincts, coupled with clumsy defending from the Portuguese, led to irreversible consequences. The expected goals ratio also favored Ireland at 2.02 to 1.61. The most prolific players for "The Chosen Team" in this qualifying cycle are Cristiano Ronaldo (5 goals, 0 assists) and Joao Cancelo (2 goals, 2 assists).

Armenia Team Overview

🔴 It seems the Armenian national team remains a side not seriously contending for spots in the most prestigious international tournaments. In the current qualifying cycle, Egishe Melikyan's squad has managed just one win in five outings. Interestingly, in four of those five matches, Armenia failed to find the back of the net. Their sole success in this qualification came against Ireland, with a 2-1 victory. Goals from Eduard Spertsyan and Grant-Leon Ranos secured Armenia's first win in 2025.

🔵 Midweek, Egishe Melikyan's crew fell to Hungary on home soil (0-1). Despite the defeat, Armenia created several chances that could have been converted into goals. However, the lack of experience among some players and the absence of full cohesion contributed to yet another setback. Within their qualifying group, Armenia is noted for having the weakest attacking line (0.4 goals per game) and the least effective defense (conceding 2 goals per match).

Latest news

Portugal

🎤 After the 0-2 defeat to Ireland midweek, Roberto Martinez vented his frustration with his team's performance: “The hardest part of football is scoring goals. We also faced Armenia, who played with a low block, and we managed to score five goals. We started the match very poorly; we missed Pedro Neto, Nuno Mendes, and Bruno Fernandes, with whom we have well-established routines. We lacked clarity on the ball, precision. Ireland play solidly, and when we conceded, we knew we were in trouble. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong for us, and everything that could go right for Ireland went right. In the second half, we tried everything, but Cristiano's red card made it more difficult. It would have been nice to go 43 matches unbeaten. Going 42 matches unbeaten at the national team level is extraordinary. This was also Ronaldo's first red card in 226 matches.”

❌ Among the unavailable players for the upcoming match, Cristiano Ronaldo stands out, having been sent off in the previous round.

Armenia

📰 Throughout their independent history, Armenia have never reached the main stage of major international tournaments. Currently, the national team can be considered a solid mid-tier side capable of challenging several top teams, yet they are still not ready for World Cup participation. Armenia hold the 104th spot in the FIFA world rankings. The total market value of the squad is estimated at €39.15 million. Among the standout leaders and most valuable players are Eduard Spertsyan (Krasnodar, €25 million), Nair Tiknizyan (€4 million, Red Star Belgrade), and Edgar Sevikyan (€2 million, Akron Tolyatti). The coaching staff aims to implement a counter-attacking style of play, focusing on effective use of space. Whether the team can realize their full potential in the upcoming match will be revealed this Sunday.

❌ Egishe Melikyan and his coaching staff can rely on their strongest lineup for the forthcoming encounter, but whether this will be enough against the formidable Portuguese remains a big question.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The upcoming clash will be officiated by a team of referees led by Bosnian Irfan Peljto. On average, this referee hands out 4.33 yellow cards per game, and in 6 of his last 9 matches, he has issued no more than 4 warnings. It's also important to note a trend: in 9 of Armenia's last 10 matches, there have been a maximum of 4 yellow cards. We suggest considering the following bet – total yellow cards under 3.5.

⚽ Goal Prediction

In 6 of the last 8 matches involving the Portuguese national team, there have been at least 3 goals scored. Let's look at the average number of goals scored in each team's matches during the current qualification cycle: Portugal – 3.4, Armenia – 2.4. The visitors have nothing to lose this coming Sunday, so don't expect them to play purely defensively. We recommend focusing on the following event – total goals over 3.5.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Let's examine the ratio of corners earned and conceded by each side during the current qualification. Portugal shows a positive trend in this area: 6.6 for and 2.4 against. The same can't be said for Armenia: 1.2 for and 5.8 against. On home soil, "the chosen team" will likely dominate territorially, especially after their shocking defeat in the last round. Our pick – Portugal's individual total corners over 6.5.

Our editorial team finds it unwise to delve into predicting the outcome of this matchup. Firstly, the "chosen team" has virtually secured their spot in the main stage of the World Cup, which affects their motivation levels. Secondly, Armenia has nothing to lose, and every player on their squad will strive to achieve an upset result. We anticipate a high-scoring affair that could end with a scoreline of 3-1. The key pick is over 3.5 goals total.