The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to face Saudi Arabia in an international friendly match in Portimao, Portugal, on Friday, October 13, 2023.
The two sides have never faced each other at the senior level, with next month’s clash set to be the first meeting between the two teams. However, Nigeria once faced the Middle Eastern nation in the opening match of the FIFA U20 World Cup in 1989, with goals from Christopher Ohenhen and Mutiu Adepoju helping the West Africans seal a 2-1 comeback victory in Riyadh.
International Friendly: Super Eagles to test strength against Saudi’s Green Falcons in Portugalhttps://t.co/EA6X17iTK2 pic.twitter.com/Ucpu1cXJqZ
— The NFF ???????? (@thenff) September 13, 2023
Jose Peseiro’s side will play the Green Falcons exactly a month before their Group C opener in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom. A week later, they will travel to the southern part of Africa to take on Zimbabwe in their second match of the qualifying rounds.
Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, will take on Les Aigles of Mali in another friendly match in Portimao four days after their game against Nigeria.
Nigeria recently thrashed Sao Tome and Principe 6-0 in Uyo to top Group A of the qualifiers and complete qualification for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Portugal’s Primeira Liga team Portimonense’s Estadio Municipal de Portimao, which houses about 10,000 fans, will play home to the Nigeria and Saudi Arabia match.
