Portugal defeated the Super Eagles 2-1 in an international friendly played on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria, Portugal.
Pedro Neto opened the scoring for the hosts in the 23rd minute. Akor Adams equalised for Nigeria in the 37th minute with a clinical finish, capitalising on a defensive error to level the score before half-time. However, Francisco Conceição scored the winner for Portugal in the 74th minute with a well-taken strike.
The match marked a significant milestone for Alex Iwobi, who was substituted to warm applause after earning his 100th cap for Nigeria. In the absence of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, Akor Adams stepped up impressively alongside Terem Moffi, showing good physicality and composure.
The result ended Eric Chelle’s impressive 12-match unbeaten run in regulation time. Despite the defeat, the Super Eagles showed promising moments and created several chances, especially late in the game, against a strong Portuguese side preparing for the 2026 World Cup.
Chelle’s tenure has been transformative since taking over a struggling side. He restored defensive discipline, led Nigeria to AFCON bronze, and used tournaments like the Unity Cup to integrate young talents.
The Super Eagles will now reflect on this result as they prepare for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The performance against a top European side provided valuable experience despite the narrow defeat.
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