Bruno Torres scored a hat-trick while Rui Coimbra and Nuno Ricardo Santos Belchior both contributed braces as Portugal routed Nigeria 10-1 in their opening Group D match at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
It was a cagey affair in the opening 12 minutes until Nigeria’s record goalscorer Abu Azeez found the back of the net.
The 2015 Champions took over from that point, responding almost instantly through Belchior, in the second period, for the first of his brace.
Portugal defended astutely, and though the Eagles went close on occasions, they couldn’t break the red wall.
They followed up their first with two more and in two minutes, one being from Torres on his way to scoring a hat-trick.
In the second period, the former World Champions scored five and wrapped it up in the third with five more.
In the other group game world number one and defending champions, Brazil peppered Oman 8-2, Mauricinho scoring a hat-trick.
Friday’s opening Group D outcomes leaves teh Sand Eagles bottom of the standings with Portugal and Brazil placing 1st and second.
Audu Adamu’s charges next face Oman on November 24 at the Los Pynandi Stadium, Luque.
They can get their campaign back on track or a defeat leaves them crashing out in teh first round of the tournament.
