Portugal came from a spirited challenge by Nigeria to secure a 2-1 victory in an entertaining international friendly, with Francisco Conceicao’s brilliant second half strike proving decisive after Akor Adams had brought the Super Eagles level.
The match provided both managers with an opportunity to assess their squads, but it was Portugal who eventually emerged victorious after producing moments of quality at key stages of the contest.
Cristiano Ronaldo threatened early for the hosts, first firing over the bar inside two minutes before narrowly missing the target again in the ninth minute after finding space inside the penalty area.
Nigeria responded positively and nearly stunned the Portuguese defence after 10 minutes when Akor Adams weaved his way into the box, only to see his effort drift narrowly wide of the post.
Portugal gradually took control of possession and eventually found the breakthrough in the 23rd minute. Diogo Dalot’s intelligent pass released Pedro Neto inside the area, and the winger made no mistake, calmly slotting into the bottom corner to give Roberto Martinez’s side a deserved lead.
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The goal sparked a strong response from Nigeria, who continued to look dangerous on the counterattack. Wilfred Ndidi tried his luck from distance, while the lively Adams repeatedly troubled the Portuguese backline with his movement and direct running.
Their persistence paid off eight minutes before the break.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru split the defence with a perfectly weighted pass into the penalty area, where Adams timed his run superbly before drilling a low finish beyond the goalkeeper to level the scores at 1-1.
The equaliser ensured the teams went into half-time locked together after an entertaining opening 45 minutes.
Martinez responded by making sweeping changes during the interval, introducing several fresh faces including Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix, Ruben Neves, Nuno Mendes, Samu Costa and Francisco Conceicao
The substitutions immediately injected fresh energy into Portugal’s attack.
Within minutes of the restart, Joao Felix rattled the crossbar with a fierce effort from the edge of the area, while Ronaldo also missed a presentable opportunity before eventually making way for Goncalo Ramos midway through the second half.
Nigeria manager Eric Chelle also reshuffled his side on the hour mark, introducing Terem Moffi, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Zaidu, Abdullahi Bewene, Emmanuel Fernandez and Paul Onuachu as he looked to maintain the Super Eagles’ intensity.
Portugal continued to press and eventually found the winner in spectacular fashion after 75 minutes.
Receiving possession just outside the area, Francisco Conceição embarked on a dazzling run, gliding past several Nigerian defenders before unleashing a low drive into the bottom corner. It was a moment of individual brilliance that ultimately settled the contest.
The Super Eagles pushed for a late response, with Alex Iwobi and Terem Moffi helping drive attacks forward, but Portugal managed the closing stages effectively despite a series of late bookings for Samu Costa, João Félix and Nigeria’s Zaidu.
Maduka Okoye also produced several important interventions throughout the match, notably denying Bruno Fernandes from close range during the first half to keep Nigeria in contention.
After four minutes of added time, referee Mateo Busquets brought an end to a competitive encounter that offered plenty of encouragement for both sides.
