AFCON 2025
The Super Eagles of Nigeria suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Portugal in an international friendly on Wednesday night at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria.
Portugal made a bright start and took the lead in the 23rd minute through Pedro Neto. The winger capitalized on space around the edge of the box before drilling a low effort beyond Stanley Okoye and into the corner of the net to put the hosts ahead.
Nigeria responded positively and found an equaliser through Akor Adams. The striker showcased his strength and determination, powering past the Portuguese defence before calmly sliding the ball home to make it 1-1.
Both sides created opportunities during an entertaining first half, but neither could find a breakthrough before the interval as the teams went into the break level.
Portugal regained the advantage in the second half thanks to a moment of quality from Francisco Conceição. The winger cut inside onto his preferred foot and curled a superb effort into the far corner, leaving the Nigerian goalkeeper with no chance.
The Super Eagles pushed forward in search of another equaliser, but Portugal remained organised at the back and managed to protect their lead until the final whistle.
The result hands Portugal victory in the friendly encounter, while Nigeria will take positives from a competitive performance, particularly the display of Akor Adams, whose goal highlighted his growing importance in the national team setup.
