World Cup qualifying betting tips: Portugal looking to avoid North Macedonia upset

Preview and odds for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifiers

Two places in Qatar are up for grabs in the pathway finals of the European section on Tuesday evening and we have some World Cup qualifying betting tips for both matches.

Robert Lewandowski will be hoping to fire Poland to the middle east when they face Sweden in Chorzow, but we start in Porto where Portugal will host North Macedonia.

Portugal v North Macedonia

Qatar could provide the perfect international swansong for Portugal’s long-time talisman and record scorer Cristiano Ronaldo and their task to make the finals appears much easier on paper following Macedonia’s shock stoppage-time win over Italy on Thursday evening. 

However, they will have to keep their wits about them in Porto to ensure they don’t become the second casualty of the giant-killing Lynxes in a week and the visitors can’t be underestimated having finished second in a qualifying group involving Germany, winning five of their 10 games.

It is no surprise to see the hosts chalked up as the 2/11 favourites in World Cup qualifying betting tips, while it is 14/1 for North Macedonia to cause another upset.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT!!! 🤯

North Macedonia have scored in added-time 😱

Italy are on the brink of not reaching the World Cup 😳 pic.twitter.com/ty5GzandXP

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 24, 2022

Portugal look to maintain a run of qualifying for every major tournament this century, while they have also scored in all 19 of their previous home World Cup qualifiers, a run that dates back to 2009.

With that in mind it might make sense to back Portugal to bag the first goal at 1/5, while they have scored within the first 15 minutes in three of their last four internationals and are 3/1 to be winning after a third of the first half.

Ronaldo is 6/4 to break the deadlock in World Cup qualifying betting tips, although Liverpool’s Diogo Jota may offer more value at 7/2, while Portugal have seen the same half-time/full-time result in 11 of their last 14 matches so Portugal/Portugal at 8/11 and draw/draw at 15/2 could be the best way to play the half-time/full-time result market.

Poland v Sweden

The hosts are shading favouritism at 27/20 as they look to make the World Cup finals for the fourth time this century, although it could be a tense affair in Chorzow, with Sweden 21/10 to progress to Qatar in 90 minutes.

Poland were handed a bye to the final of this pathway due to the sporting sanctions placed on Russia, while the visitors only overcame the Czech Republic after extra time, with the semi-final ending goalless at the end of 90 minutes.

Another 0-0 stalemate is 6/1 in World Cup qualifying betting tips, although both teams have scored in 12 of Poland’s last 14 internationals so that could be unlikely and BTTS is priced up at 11/10.

Sweden have won the last eight head-to-head fixtures between the two which mitigates slightly against their recent away record which has seen them win just three of their last 11 in World Cup qualifiers on the road.

The Swedes edged a five-goal thriller in the group stage of Euro 2020 and a repeat of that 3-2 scoreline is 50/1 in World Cup qualifying betting tips. Four of the goals came in the second half on that occasion and it is 21/20 for the second 45 to have the most goals on this occasion, while over 3.5 appeals at 4/1.

Lewandowski hit both of Poland’s goals in that St Petersburg contest and is likely to carry the hosts’ hopes and dreams on his broad shoulders once again. The Bayern Munich man is 11/2 to hit another brace, while 5/2 for the 33-year-old to break the deadlock could prove a popular selection.

View the latest World Cup qualifying odds

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication