By G9ija
Qatar 2022 World Cup hopefuls Portugal turned on the style against the Super Eagles on Thursday in an international friendly, scoring a 4-0 victory against the three-time African champions.
A brace from Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes was followed by late goals from Goncalo Ramos and Joao Mario.
The Super Eagles should have reduced the deficit to 2-0 when they were handed a penalty in the 81st minute. However, Nottingham Forest’s Emmanuel Denis was denied by an impressive Rui Patrício and the post.
Benfica forward and Portugal debutant Goncalo Ramos tapped home from Raphael Guerreiro’s unselfish cut-back for the third a minute later.
Joao Mario tucked away the fourth after a brilliant move, involving Felix again and a silky touch from Ramos, a perfect finale for an impressive, dynamic attacking display to answer criticism labelling Santos’s football negative.
It was also a way of quietening the noise around Ronaldo, although that is rarely possible for long, as the veteran forward recovers and readies himself to play at his fifth World Cup.
Talisman Cristiano Ronaldo was absent through illness. Fernando Santos’s Portugal warmed up for the World Cup with victory in Lisbon, although preparations for the match were overshadowed by an explosive interview given by Ronaldo earlier in the week.
The 37-year-old striker lashed out at his club Manchester United, where he has fallen out of favour under new coach Erik ten Hag, before suffering gastroenteritis.
Ronaldo, his country’s record appearance maker and the men’s international all-time top goalscorer with 191 strikes, is set to return for Portugal’s World Cup opener against Ghana on November 24, although the team thrilled supporters without him before they depart for Qatar.
