Super Eagles celebrate a goal
Francisco Conceição netted the winner as Portugal stretched their unbeaten run to five games (W4, D1) with a 2-1 victory over Nigeria at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, giving themselves the perfect preparation ahead of the FIFA World Cup (WC).
It took just two minutes for Cristiano Ronaldo to record his first attempt on goal, shooting wide from distance. However, Diogo Costa was the first goalkeeper to make a save, albeit a comfortable one, as Calvin Bassey tried his luck from the edge of the box. It wasn’t long before Ronaldo squandered another chance, and it was a golden one as he found himself through on goal, only to place his effort wide. Nigeria also missed the target twice through Akor Adams and Wilfred Ndidi, before Portugal eventually took the lead midway through the first half. Two Premier League players combined as Diogo Dalot cut back for Pedro Neto, who took a neat touch before finding the bottom corner for his first goal in four months.
The hosts then probed for a second with Bruno Fernandes – who scored a brace in the last H2H – seeing his half-volley tipped over by Maduka Okoye after the ball dropped nicely for him following a clearance from a free-kick. The Manchester United star then whipped in a dangerous corner for his former club teammate Ronaldo, who looped a header just over. Okoye also had to be alert to tip over Francisco Trincão’s strike, opening the door for Nigeria to equalise on the counter through Adams, who played a one-two with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru before finishing with his left foot.
The score remained level heading into the second half, with Portugal making nine changes to freshen up the team. One of those was João Félix, who almost made an immediate impact when his strike rattled the underside of the crossbar, and while a lot of the ball crossed the line, not all of it did. After a quiet period where both teams’ substitutes were settling into the match, the Seleção das Quinas managed to retake the lead through Conceição. João Cancelo passed to him, but the goal was all about Conceição’s individual brilliance, as he bamboozled his defender before cutting inside and rifling into the bottom corner from what looked to be an awkward angle.
Portugal have now won nine of their last 10 games on home soil (D1), but Roberto Martínez’s men will have to show their might on away shores at the WC, where they kick things off against DR Congo, who eliminated Nigeria from WC qualifying. The Super Eagles instead must reflect on losing their own six-match unbeaten streak (W4, D2), but at least kept it close against one of the world’s highest-ranked nations.
Report by Flashscore
Flashscore Man of the Match: Samú Costa (Portugal)
