After his team defeated Nigeria’s Super Eagles 2-1 in their final warm-up match in Leiria on Wednesday, Cristiano Ronaldo declared Portugal prepared for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
Soon after the last whistle at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, the Portugal captain said on Instagram, “The preparation is done.” Focus on the World Cup.
For the hosts, the evening was not perfect.
After Ronaldo missed a golden opportunity, Pedro Neto gave Portugal the lead in the 23rd minute. However, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru set up Akor Adams, who equalized before halftime. After the intermission, Francisco Conceicao scored the game’s winner, giving Roberto Martinez’s team a slim but encouraging victory.
After defeating the Super Eagles 4-0 in a comparable match in 2022, it was Portugal’s second encounter with Nigeria prior to a World Cup.Nigeria provided a competitive account despite the loss.
Defenders Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey were composed throughout, while goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was brilliant with a number of crucial saves.Before being substituted late in the match, Akor Adams added to his already impressive reputation with a skillfully executed equalizer. Tochukwu Nnadi shown vitality and maturity in midfield, while Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika, who were brought in as substitutes, brought steadiness. Moses Simon struggled to make an impression before being replaced, while Alex Iwobi, who was celebrating his 100th cap, had a quiet evening.
Nigeria’s 25-match winning streak of 16 victories and nine draws came to an end with the friendly, which also marked coach Eric Chelle’s first loss in regulation time since taking over. Portugal will compete against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, and Uzbekistan in Group K of the tournament.
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