Armenia couldn’t have asked for a tougher start to their World Cup qualifying journey as they welcome European giants Portugal to Yerevan. For the hosts, it’s another chance to chase the dream of reaching their first-ever major tournament, while Portugal arrive looking to make yet another strong statement on the road to 2026, Softfootball reports.
This qualifiers is a fresh chapter for Armenia, who begin life under new coach Yegishe Melikyan. The former Pyunik Yerevan boss, who once guided the club into European competition, has been tasked with lifting a team that has struggled for consistency since their famous win over Wales in 2023.
The Armenians have won just two games since then, both against lower-ranked opponents, and the challenge against Portugal will be a massive step up.
Their hopes will rest heavily on Krasnodar midfielder Eduard Spertsyan, who has been in sparkling form with three straight international goals and a string of contributions for his club. Armenia may be underdogs, but with the backing of their home crowd and a reputation for being stubborn in Yerevan, they’ll be eager to at least make life difficult for the Portuguese.
Official Armenia Lineup to face Portugal posted via the the team’s official facebook page;
ArmeniaXI: Avagyan; Piloyan, G. Harutyunyan, Muradyan, Tiknizyan; Iwu, Spertsyan, Hovhannisyan, Bichakhchyan; Zelarayán, Barseghyan
For Portugal, this game carries both motivation and emotion. Softfootball reports that Roberto Martínez’s side will step out for the first time since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota, whom the Football Federation in Portugal honoured recently, adding a layer of poignancy to their preparations. Fresh from lifting the UEFA Nations League after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Spain, they’ll now switch focus to making sure their road to the World Cup is as smooth as possible.
The visitors are loaded with talent and experience. Cristiano Ronaldo, still going strong at 40, has scored in three straight internationals and has fond memories of facing Armenia, including a hat-trick on Portugal’s last trip here. Even without the injured Rafael Leão, Martínez has more than enough firepower at his disposal, and Portugal’s flawless ten-game run in Euro 2024 qualifying shows they know how to get the job done in these fixtures.
Confirmed lineup of Portugal’s team to face Armenia in the ongoing FIFA World Cup Qualifiers via its Official X handle;
Diogo Costa; Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Inácio, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, João Neves; João Félix, Neto, Ronaldo
Armenia will try to frustrate the vistors, hoping to feed off the energy of their home fans and find inspiration through their main man Spertsyan. But Portugal’s quality and experience in qualifiers make them the outright favourites. With Ronaldo leading the line and Martínez’s men determined to start strong, it’s hard to see anything other than a win for portugal.
