'This is the type of game we need' - Onyemaechi reacts to Super Eagles' narrow loss to Portugal

Super Eagles defender Bruno Onyemaechi has described Nigeria’s international friendly against Portugal as an important test of the team’s quality despite the narrow 2-1 defeat in Leiria.

Nigeria produced an encouraging display against the World Cup-bound Europeans but were ultimately edged out by a late Francisco Conceição strike after Akor Adams had earlier cancelled out Pedro Neto’s opener.

The match formed part of the Super Eagles’ preparations under head coach Eric Chelle, with the team showing determination and competitiveness against a Portugal side packed with established stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha and Rúben Dias.

Portugal eventually secured victory thanks to Conceição’s decisive second-half goal in what was their final warm-up game before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Reflecting on the performance after the match, Onyemaechi focused on the positives, stressing the value of facing elite opposition as Nigeria continue to build towards future competitions.

Speaking after the game, the Olympiacos left-back said: “It’s a very good game, it’s a very competitive game for us to test our abilities.”

The defender believes fixtures against top-ranked nations are crucial for the development of the Super Eagles and provide a clearer measure of the team’s progress on the international stage.

“We are a great nation too. This is the type of game we need to play to test our abilities. I hope we will have more of this to play against,” Onyemaechi added.

Although the result ended in defeat, Nigeria earned praise for their spirited performance against one of Europe’s strongest teams. Akor Adams’ equaliser highlighted the attacking threat of Chelle’s side, while the overall display offered encouraging signs despite the late setback.