Ronaldo, Portugal send strong message to Super Eagles after beating Chile

Portugal boosted their confidence ahead of Wednesday's international friendly against Nigeria with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Chile at the Estadio Nacional.

The result extended Portugal's unbeaten run to four matches and provided another encouraging performance as Roberto Martinez's men continue their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo started the match and played a key role in Portugal's attacking play before being substituted at halftime. The veteran forward thought he had opened the scoring during the first half, but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Portugal dominated the early stages and came close to breaking the deadlock on several occasions. Defender Ruben Dias saw a powerful header brilliantly saved by Chile goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux, while Rafael Leao rattled the woodwork with a fierce strike.

A clash involving several players resulted in red cards for Portugal's Rafael Leao and Chile defender Ivan Roman, leaving both sides with ten men for the remainder of the game.

Despite the setback, Portugal emerged from the interval with renewed energy.

Substitute Goncalo Guedes made an immediate impact when he gave the hosts the lead in the 58th minute. The forward calmly finished after being released by an incisive through ball from Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes later capped an outstanding individual performance by getting on the scoresheet himself. The Manchester United midfielder curled a superb effort into the corner from outside the penalty area to double Portugal's advantage and put the game beyond Chile's reach.

Chile managed to reduce the deficit in stoppage time through Lucas Cepeda, whose powerful strike beat Rui Silva, but it proved to be little more than a consolation as Portugal held on for victory.

The win serves as another reminder of Portugal's quality ahead of their meeting with Nigeria's Super Eagles.

Eric Chelle's side will travel to Leiria hoping to end Portugal's strong run of form and build on their 2-2 draw against Poland in Warsaw.

The fixture will also provide Nigeria with an opportunity to avenge their previous meeting with Portugal, which ended in a 4-0 defeat in a friendly match in 2022.

With stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva expected to be available, the Super Eagles face a major challenge against one of Europe's strongest teams.

For Portugal, the match represents the final step in their World Cup preparations, while Nigeria will be eager to prove they can compete with elite opposition despite missing out on qualification for the global tournament.