Super Eagles on alert as Portugal stretch unbeaten streak against Chile
Portugal have thrown down the gauntlet ahead of their international friendly against Nigeria's Super Eagles after securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Chile at the Estádio Nacional.
The win extended the European giants' unbeaten run to four matches and provided another encouraging performance for head coach Roberto Martínez as preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup gather momentum.
Veteran captain Cristiano Ronaldo led the line from the start and played a key role in Portugal's attacking moves before making way at halftime. The five time Ballon d'Or winner believed he had opened the scoring in the first half, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
Portugal dominated proceedings before the break, creating several clear-cut opportunities. Rúben Dias nearly broke the deadlock with a powerful header that was brilliantly denied by Chile goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux, while Rafael Leão rattled the woodwork as the hosts piled on the pressure.
The encounter took a dramatic twist when Leão and Chile defender Iván Román were both sent off following an altercation, reducing the teams to ten men each.
Despite the setback, Portugal maintained control after the interval and finally broke through in the 58th minute when substitute Gonçalo Guedes calmly finished a move created by Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes then capped an impressive display with a superb curling strike from outside the penalty area to double Portugal's advantage and put the contest beyond Chile's reach.
Chile managed a late consolation through Lucas Cepeda deep into stoppage time, but Portugal comfortably held on to claim another confidence boosting victory.
The result sends a strong message ahead of Wednesday's clash with Nigeria in Leiria, where the Super Eagles will be aiming to halt Portugal's impressive run.
Under head coach Eric Chelle, Nigeria head into the fixture seeking a positive response after a 2-2 draw with Poland and hoping to gain revenge for their last meeting with Portugal, a 4-0 defeat in an international friendly in 2022.
With stars such as Ronaldo, Fernandes, Dias and Bernardo Silva expected to feature, the Super Eagles face one of Europe's most formidable sides in what promises to be a stern test.
For Portugal, the match represents another key step in their World Cup preparations, while Nigeria will view the encounter as an opportunity to measure their progress against elite opposition as Chelle continues to shape his squad for the future.
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