Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes scored twice as Portugal beat Finland 4-2 in a warm-up game before Euro 2024.
It was an underwhelming start for the much-changed home side, who had a lot of the ball without offering much with it. However, after Rafael Leão won a corner with an enterprising run, some terrible defending from Finland allowed Ruben Dias a free header to open the scoring.
From then on, it was domination from the hosts as they looked particularly threatening down the right hand side through midfielder Francisco Conceição on his first start for Roberto Martinez’s side.
He fired an effort at Lukas Hradecky before being fouled inside the penalty area in first half stoppage time. Though the referee initially awarded Portugal a free-kick, VAR intervened and Diogo Jota made no mistake from 12 yards to double his country’s lead against a Finland side who saw just 25% of the ball and couldn’t test José Sá.
The second half began in a similar vein despite Martinez changing half the outfield players at the break, and Conceição found Bruno Fernandes on the edge of the area, with the Manchester United talisman curling the ball into the top corner to add a third for his side.
But Finland refused to bow out meekly, hitting back with two goals in seven minutes courtesy of Norwich legend Teemu Pukki. Sent on just after the hour mark, the striker took seven minutes to find the net with Finland’s first shot on target, before adding a second five minutes later to cut Portugal’s lead to one, and leave them facing a nervous final 10 minutes.
Fernandes settled those nerves five minutes from time though, adding a fourth for his side and ensuring that there would be no sting at the finish.
Portugal next face home friendlies against Croatia on Saturday and Ireland on Tuesday before their tournament opener against Czech Republic in Group F in Leipzig on June 18.
The 2016 European champions will be happy enough with this work-out at a bouncing Estadio Jose Alvaladeas despite some late slackness that presented the visitors with goals that never looked likely.
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