Int’l Friendly: Super Eagles to battle Saudi Arabia in Portugal

Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, are gearing up for a senior international friendly match set to take place in the city of Portimão, Portugal on Friday, October 13, 2023.

This highly anticipated clash occurs just a month before the three-time African champions, who displayed their prowess with a 6-0 victory over Sao Tome and Principe in their 2023 AFCON final-day qualification game in Uyo, kick off their campaign for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals. Their journey begins with a home game against Lesotho’s Crocodiles.

In the same FIFA window in November, the Nigerian Eagles are scheduled to play their second match of the qualification series, this time facing off against Zimbabwe’s Warriors.

The Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia, who are set to take on Mali’s Eagles at the same venue just four days later, have never crossed paths with Nigeria at the senior level.

The most memorable encounter between these two nations harks back to the opening match of the 1989 FIFA U20 World Cup (then known as FIFA World Youth Championship). During this electrifying showdown in Riyadh, second-half goals by Chrstopher Ohenhen and Mutiu Adepoju propelled Nigeria to a remarkable 2-1 comeback victory over the host nation.

The stage for this international friendly is set at the Estadio Municipal de Portimão, situated in the Algarve region. This stadium, the home ground of Portimonense S.C., boasts a seating capacity of nearly 10,000 spectators, promising an exciting spectacle for football enthusiasts.