Super Eagles winger shoots down Al Nassr as Ronaldo misses preseason trophy defeat

Super Eagles forward Abraham Marcus produced a standout performance to inspire Estrela da Amadora to a thrilling 4-2 victory over Al Nassr to win the Troféu Cidade da Amadora in Portugal, Soccernet.ng reports.

With Cristiano Ronaldo still on an extended break after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Al Nassr were missing their biggest star, but Marcus ensured the spotlight belonged to him. The 26-year-old was involved in the game's first two goals, setting up one and scoring another before leaving the pitch in the 64th minute after a brilliant display.

Marcus made his first big contribution in the 25th minute. Max Scholze started the move before Rafa Soares delivered a cross from the left. Marcus reacted quickly, keeping the ball alive inside the penalty area and laying it perfectly for Leandro Antonetti, who headed Estrela into a deserved 1-0 lead.

The Saudi side's problems grew worse seven minutes after halftime when goalkeeper Bento was shown a straight red card for bringing down an opponent outside the box. Playing against 10 men, Estrela took complete control of the contest.

Super Eagles: Marcus' magic puts the trophy beyond Al Nassr

Marcus made sure Estrela punished the numerical advantage in spectacular fashion in the 62nd minute. Receiving a pass after another quick attack, the two-cap Super Eagles attacker cut inside onto his stronger left foot before curling a brilliant strike from outside the penalty area into the top-left corner. The substitute goalkeeper could only watch as the ball flew into the net, giving Estrela a comfortable 2-0 lead.

The Portuguese club stretched their advantage further in the 77th minute through Sydney van Hooijdonk, seemingly putting the match beyond Al Nassr at 3-0.

To their credit, Ange Postecoglou's side fought back. Abdullah Al-Hamdan reduced the deficit in the 79th minute after a pass from Rakan Al-Ghamdi, before Hayder Abdulkareem scored another in the 89th minute, again assisted by Al-Ghamdi, to set up a tense finish.

Any hopes of a dramatic comeback disappeared deep into stoppage time when Beni Souza scored in the 90+8th minute to seal a 4-2 victory and hand Estrela the preseason trophy.

Marcus' display showed why he has become one of Nigeria's most exciting attacking players in Portugal. The Lagos-born winger, who began his career at Remo Stars Academy, enjoyed breakthrough spells with Feirense and FC Porto B before joining Estrela permanently in 2025. Last season, he contributed five goals and five assists in 31 Primeira Liga matches, and his latest performance suggests he is ready for an even bigger campaign.