Portugal beat Nigeria 4-0 in World Cup warmup

In Houston, where World Cup matches at NRG Stadium have long drawn heavy interest, Portugal beat Nigeria 4-0 in a pre-tournament friendly on Thursday as Cristiano Ronaldo remained out of the squad. The result gave Portugal a clean final tune-up before opening play at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Portugal played without Ronaldo after his recent public split with Manchester United dominated the buildup. The veteran forward was absent because of illness, according to the team, leaving Portugal to prepare for the tournament with other attacking options taking the lead.

Portugal beat Nigeria behind Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes scored twice for Portugal in Lisbon, including a first-half penalty, as the home side controlled the match. Goncalo Ramos added another goal after the break, and Joao Mario completed the scoring late.

Nigeria, which did not qualify for the World Cup, created few openings and could not recover after Portugal took control early. Portugal also missed a chance to widen the margin when Joao Felix failed to convert a penalty in the second half.

Ronaldo remained sidelined before Portugal's opener

Ronaldo's absence remained one of the main storylines around Portugal's camp. His interview criticizing Manchester United and parts of the club's structure had already placed extra attention on the national team before it traveled to Qatar.

Portugal's win offered a steadier football picture. Fernandes drove the attack, the defense kept a shutout, and the team finished its final friendly without conceding. Portugal was scheduled to open World Cup group play against Ghana on Nov. 24, with Uruguay and South Korea also in its group.

This article is a summary of reporting by France 24. Read the full story here.