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๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Nigeria /Sports

Ronaldo Blank as Portugal End Eagles' Unbeaten Run

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Portugal defeated Nigeria 2-1 in a final warm-up match, ending the Super Eagles' 12-game unbeaten streak.
  • Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceicao scored for Portugal, while Jerome Akor netted Nigeria's equalizer.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo played but did not score, as Portugal prepares for the World Cup against DR Congo.

Portugal ended the Super Eagles' 12-match unbeaten run with a 2-1 victory in their final World Cup warm-up game in Leira. Ranked fifth in the world, Portugal took the lead in the 23rd minute through Chelsea star Pedro Neto, who fired a low shot past goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.

Nigeria, ranked 21 places below Portugal, fought back and drew level in the 39th minute. Jerome Akor received a pass from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and scored past Diogo Costa. However, substitute Francisco Conceicao secured the win for Portugal in the 75th minute, scoring after cutting in from the right.

Cristiano Ronaldo, leading Portugal, missed an early chance in the 9th minute with only the goalkeeper to beat. He continued his search for a goal throughout the match but failed to find the net. The game also marked Alex Iwobi's 100th cap for Nigeria, celebrated with a special framed shirt presentation before kickoff.

Portugal will begin their World Cup campaign against DR Congo, the team that eliminated Nigeria from World Cup qualification last November. The match saw several missed opportunities from both sides, including Akor Adams for Nigeria and Ronaldo for Portugal, highlighting the competitive nature of the encounter.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.