A late goal by Francisco Conceição denied Nigeria’s Super Eagles a positive finish to their preparations as Portugal secured a 2-1 victory in an international friendly on Wednesday night.
Despite the defeat, the match marked a significant personal milestone for midfielder Alex Iwobi, who earned his 100th international cap to join Nigeria’s exclusive centurions club.
The encounter began at a lively pace, with both teams creating early opportunities. Cristiano Ronaldo missed a clear chance when he fired wide against goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, while Nigeria’s Akor Adams came close with an effort that narrowly missed the target.
Portugal eventually capitalised on their dominance in possession in the 23rd minute. Diogo Dalot initiated the move before finding Pedro Neto, who calmly slotted past Okoye to give the hosts the lead.
The Super Eagles responded with determination and remained competitive throughout the contest, but Portugal’s quality proved decisive as Conceição struck late to seal victory for Roberto Martinez’s side in their final outing before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Okoye kept Nigeria in the contest with two crucial saves before the Super Eagles struck back in the 37th minute. Lazio’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru brilliantly cushioned a long ball into the path of Adams. The Sevilla striker showed sublime composure, twisting away from his marker to finish with aplomb and level the score before halftime.
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Seeking to rotate his squad, Portugal manager Roberto Martínez made a sweeping eight substitutions at the break. Nigeria remained unchanged, with centurion Iwobi dictating the tempo. The fresh Portuguese substitutes immediately piled on pressure, and a frustrating night for Ronaldo ended when his powerful effort crashed off the crossbar onto the goal line before he was substituted.
As Éric Chelle introduced late reinforcements like Wilfred Ndidi and Semi Ajayi, Nigeria briefly controlled possession. However, a 75th-minute lapse proved fatal. Zaidu Sanusi failed to close down Conceição, allowing the winger to curl a brilliant strike past Okoye to restore Portugal’s lead.
While it marks Nigeria’s second open-play defeat under Chelle, the Super Eagles take immense credit for matching the world number five side ahead of Portugal’s World Cup opener against the DR Congo on June 17.
