Portugal won 2-1 against Nigeria in an international friendly on Wednesday night. Francisco Conceição's amazing second-half goal handed the Super Eagles a tough loss in Leiria.
This match was Portugal’s last warm-up before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was an exciting game where Nigeria held their own for long stretches before a key moment decided the outcome.
Pedro Neto scored first for Portugal in the first half. Akor Adams, showing his strong form for Nigeria, equalized before halftime.
But Conceição’s brilliant goal 15 minutes from the end made sure that Roberto Martinez’s team went to the World Cup with two wins in a row.
Portugal Takes the Lead
With a lively crowd at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Portugal opened the game strongly. They relied on the skills of captain Cristiano Ronaldo and star midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
Portugal’s efforts paid off in the 23rd minute when Neto scored to put them ahead.
Despite the setback, Nigeria kept calm and threatened with quick counterattacks. Eric Chelle’s team looked dangerous each time they broke forward, finding gaps in the Portuguese defence.
Adams Equalizes
Nigeria’s hard work bore fruit in the 38th minute.
Akor Adams showed great strength, shaking off Portugal captain Rúben Dias. He passed to a teammate and finished coolly past the Portugal goalkeeper.
This was Adams’ sixth goal for Nigeria and highlighted his strong performance in the first half, consistently causing problems for the Portuguese defence.
At halftime, the score was 1-1, with Nigeria looking more dangerous during fast breaks.
Okoye Keeps Nigeria in the Game
After halftime, Portugal came back energized. Manager Roberto Martinez made several changes, bringing on stars like Bernardo Silva, João Cancelo, and Rúben Neves.
These substitutions quickly boosted Portugal's play.
João Félix nearly scored just minutes into the second half, forcing a great save from Maduka Okoye, then hitting the crossbar shortly after. Ronaldo had chances too but could not score before he was subbed off in the 64th minute, receiving cheers from fans.
Okoye kept Nigeria in the match, making important saves to deny Portugal and keep the game tied.
Conceição's Key Goal
As both teams made substitutions, the match started to look like it would end in a draw.
In the 75th minute, Conceição changed that. He got the ball at the edge of the Nigerian penalty area. Cutting inside onto his left foot, he fired a powerful shot into the far corner, out of Okoye's reach.
That goal was crucial, even as Nigeria tried hard to equalize late in the game.
Portugal controlled the ball in the final minutes, while the Super Eagles found it hard to create clear chances against a solid defence.
Positives from the Loss
Even though Nigeria still hasn’t beaten Portugal, Chelle can find positives in their performance.
This match also gave the Super Eagles coach a chance to evaluate both seasoned players and new talent as he prepares for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying rounds.
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