Albania vs. Portugal: Date, Time, Live Stream for Euro 2016 Qualifier
Portugal can take a huge leap towards qualification for Euro 2016 on Monday, but a defeat to minnows Albania will see the small nation leapfrog Ronaldo and his team-mates.
The Seleccao lead Group I by a solitary point and will see their tournament opportunities limited if they fall to defeat.
Albania kept themselves in the hunt for the Euros after a resolute draw against second-placed Denmark, earning a priceless point in Copenhagen.
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Here is how you can watch the vital group qualifier, with kick-off times for your region and viewing information:
Date: Monday, Sept. 7
Time: 7:45 p.m. (BST), 2:45 p.m. (ET)
TV Info: Sky Sports Red Button (UK only); ESPN3 (USA Only)
Match Preview
When a team includes Ronaldo in its attack, it is rightfully expected to win. However, this incarnation of Portugal is not as strong as vintage editions from the past, with the weight of expectation laid solely at CR7's door.
The Seleccao huffed and puffed against France in a friendly match Friday, sporting their usual 4-3-3 in a deserved 1-0 defeat, and they looked like a team devoid of ideas or motivation.
Ronaldo constantly threw his arms up in frustration as attacking partner Nani consistently failed and flattered to deceive.
Portugal sit just one point ahead of the rest in Group I, and even a draw could see their Euro 16 hopes begin to evaporate. The Danish are level on points with the Albanians and are expected to cruise past Armenia on Monday night.
Albania are the surprise package of the group, grabbing 11 points from their five qualification matches. It is unthinkable they might win this group with Portugal and Denmark in attendance, but they now stand on the brink of history.
Portugal have lost the depth they once had, when a young Ronaldo was the new upstart in the side. Nani's career has nosedived after a rapid decline at Manchester United, and there simply isn't the stock to cope with the first-team demand.
Simon Curtis of ESPN FC predicts Portugal will take the safe options against the Albanian side, highlighting the lack of flair in manager Fernando Santos' thoughts:
"For Monday's game with Albania, Portugal are preparing themselves for more of the same, therefore: solidity, closed ranks and few goals. Santos' reign as manager of Greece showcased the same miserly, low-excitement football that he has now imported back into his country of birth. Those wizened features, worry lines cut deep across his face from years of touchline tensions, tell their own story. Here is a tough man, who knows how to grind out the results he (and his employers) need, and he is unlikely to stray from the path that has served him relatively well in the past.
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The Portuguese public are used to excitement and drama, but the vote has been cast to find results before beauty. In Ronaldo, they still have one of the top two primary talents in world football, but the other 10 players leave a lot to be desired.
The away side might also be without defensive general Ricardo Carvalho after he received a nasty cut against the French, per football consultant Anthony DiCicco:
If Ronnie plays at his best, Albania will need nine men in defence to stop him. However, there are signs that age might be catching up with the mercurial one.
The hosts turned Portugal over earlier in the qualification campaign in a shock 1-0 win—with a goal from Bekim Balaj—but that was without the presence of CR7 on the pitch.
Ronaldo is likely to be the difference again, but Albania have built momentum since their win in Portugal; their defence is solid and concentrated. Denmark found this out recently, but the Scandinavians do not have a talent in the bracket of the Real Madrid superstar.
