International Football
AHEAD CLASH WITH NIGERIA; NO WORRIES OVER OUR WINLESS STREAK, SAYS BRAZIL’S CASEMIRO
Brazil may not have won in their last three matches, and while defensive midfielder Casemiro admitted the Selecao haven’t been at their best, most recently in Thursday’s 1-1 draw against Senegal at the National Stadium, he insisted there is no need to panic.
The stalemate comes after a 2-2 draw with Colombia and a 1-0 loss to Peru last month, and the last time Brazil failed to win in three straight games was in 2013.
But Casemiro assured Brazil fans that positive results will return, starting with the friendly against Nigeria on Sunday, when he said at the Brazil Global Tour press conference last night: “We have no doubts it wasn’t our best game.
“Everybody could see that, everyone expects Brazil to win every game we play, and we have an obligation to give our best in every match even if results may be beyond our control.
“But we also have to note these are friendlies, important games against strong African teams we may meet at the next World Cup. We need these games to try different players like Renan Lodi and Matheus Henrique and develop our tactics and strategy to help us for major assignments like the World Cup Qualifiers and Copa America, which we won.
“We are honest and we know that ourselves, that we need to do better. On Sunday, we have another match to show our quality, to show why we are in the national team. We will analyse our match against Senegal to see what we need to improve on.”
These will include getting more goals out of their front line and making sure their defence can keep pace with speedy attackers.
To be fair to the Brazilians, in the bigger scheme of things, the defeat by Peru is the only reverse in their last 19 games since their quarter-final loss to Belgium at last year’s World Cup.
Casemiro said: “The good thing is coach Tite knows what to do. He is trying to play us in roles which we are already playing at club level, and I think this will get the best results from us because we are in the national team for doing well with our clubs.”
Even as a star-studded Brazil side – featuring the world’s most expensive footballer Neymar, and the likes of Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus, Philippe Coutinho and Dani Alves – threw away the lead on Thursday, the second time they have done so in their last three games, Casemiro rejected the notion they face a mental block as they plot to end a 20-year drought and win a record sixth world title at Qatar 2022.
The 27-year-old Real Madrid man said: “I feel 80 per cent of football is a mental game. It is something our coaches always tell us – if we are mentally strong, we can have a great match. We won the Copa America this year, which shows we are on the right track.”
Casemiro did express his surprise at playing in a half-empty stadium against Senegal on Thursday when the official attendance was 20,621, and hopes more will show up tomorrow.
He said: “I don’t know why it happened because the hotels are always full of fans waiting for us. Sure, we want to always play in front of a lot of fans but our responsibility is to do our best whether there is a crowd or not.”
Nigeria’s Super Eagles put up a spirited performance but were edged 2-1 by Portugal in an international friendly at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria on Wednesday night.
The match served as Portugal’s final tune-up ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America and offered the Nigerians a chance to test themselves against one of Europe’s leading sides led by veteran captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal drew first blood in the 23rd minute when Pedro Neto broke the deadlock, firing past Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye after a lively opening period in which both teams created opportunities.
The Super Eagles responded positively and were rewarded eight minutes before halftime when striker Akor Adams found the equaliser. The goal capped an impressive Nigerian fightback and ensured the teams went into the break level at 1-1.
Ronaldo, making a rare appearance against Nigeria, started the match and remained on the pitch until the 67th minute. The 41-year-old was given a standing ovation by the home crowd when he was replaced by Gonçalo Ramos.
Portugal made several changes after the interval as coach Roberto Martinez rotated his squad in preparation for the World Cup. Despite the substitutions, the hosts continued to press for a winner.
Their persistence paid off in the 75th minute when Francisco Conceição struck the decisive goal, restoring Portugal’s lead and ultimately securing victory for the European side.
Nigeria battled to find another equaliser in the closing stages but Portugal’s defence held firm to preserve the 2-1 result.
The defeat means Portugal have now won both meetings between the two countries. Their first encounter came in Lisbon in November 2022, when the Portuguese recorded a convincing 4-0 victory in a pre-World Cup friendly.
While the result will disappoint Nigerian supporters, the Super Eagles can take encouragement from their resilient display against one of the teams widely tipped to make a strong impact at the World Cup. Akor Adams’ goal and Nigeria’s competitive showing against a star-studded Portuguese side provided positive signs as the team continues its rebuilding process under the national team set-up.
For Portugal, the victory provides a confidence boost as they head to North America, where they hope their talented midfield and experienced squad can propel them to a successful World Cup campaign.
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Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the starting line-up when the Selecao take on Nigeria in an international friendly match which kicks off in a few minutes tonight.
The 41-year-old forward, who remains a key figure in the Portuguese national team, has been named among the starters as Portugal continue preparations for upcoming competitive fixtures.
Ronaldo’s inclusion is expected to add further excitement to the encounter, with Nigerian fans eager to see one of football’s greatest players in action against the Super Eagles.
The match offers Nigeria another opportunity to test themselves against top European opposition, while Portugal will look to sharpen their squad ahead of future international assignments.
Kick-off is scheduled for later tonight, with both teams expected to field strong line-ups in what promises to be an entertaining contest.
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By Kunle Solaja
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Portugal will meet for only the second time at the senior level when they clash in an international friendly in Leiria on Wednesday night.
The encounter comes under remarkably similar circumstances to their first meeting in November 2022, when Portugal defeated Nigeria 4-0 in Lisbon just days before the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Once again, Portugal are using Nigeria as their final warm-up match before the World Cup. Four years ago, the Portuguese selected the Super Eagles to prepare for a group-stage clash against Ghana, the team that denied Nigeria a place at Qatar 2022.
History appears to be repeating itself. This time, Portugal are preparing for a World Cup opening fixture against the Democratic Republic of Congo, another team that shattered Nigeria’s World Cup ambitions by eliminating the Super Eagles from the qualification race.
The match at the 29,000-capacity Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa offers Nigeria an opportunity to avenge the heavy defeat suffered four years ago and test themselves against one of Europe’s strongest sides.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has assembled a star-studded squad featuring five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rafael Leão and João Félix.
The Portuguese head into the encounter unbeaten in their last four matches, having recorded victories over the United States and Chile while drawing with Mexico.
Nigeria, under coach Eric Chelle, have also enjoyed an impressive run. Since taking charge 15 months ago, the Franco-Malian tactician has overseen 24 matches and suffered only one defeat in regulation time.
With both teams carrying impressive recent records, Wednesday’s friendly promises to be far more competitive than the scoreline from their last meeting suggests.
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