Eder scored the only goal of the game as Portugal recorded their first win over Italy since 1976 with a 1-0 international friendly success on Tuesday.
Fernando Santos’ men were in buoyant mood after Saturday’s 3-2 Euro 2016 qualifying victory in Armenia and they produced a solid display against the Azzurri, who were previously unbeaten under coach Antonio Conte.
With World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo given a rest, Portugal handed a start to SC Braga striker Eder, who had scored 10 league goals this season for his club in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
Photo: AP
After a low-key first half in Switzerland, the 27-year-old striker — born in the Portuguese colony of Guinea-Bissau — grabbed his first goal for his country with 52 minutes gone after an assist from Ricardo Quaresma.
Italy — who earned a highly creditable 1-1 Euro 2016 qualifying draw in Croatia on Friday last week — pressed for a leveler and Inter defender Andrea Ranocchia should have provided it in stoppage-time, but he fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
South Africa ended a goalless three-match run of draws with a come-from-behind 2-1 international friendly victory over Angola on Tuesday at a cold, windy Cape Town Stadium.
A small public-holiday crowd braved early southern hemisphere winter conditions in the southwest city to see a second-half Felipe Malanda own-goal settle a lively, fiercely contested southern Africa showdown.
Belgium-based Ayanda Patosi chipped over goalkeeper Landu Mavanga on 68 minutes and when the ball deflected off the underside of the crossbar, it struck Malanda and rolled into the net.
South Africa retreated and survived some scares to end an embarrassing run of 0-0 draws, against Botswana and Malawi in a regional championship and against Gambia in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Alexandre M’Futila snatched a superb goal on 25 minutes for the visitors, surging forward from midfield before unleashing an unstoppable rising shot past goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune.
Thamsanqa Gabuza leveled in first-half stoppage-time by firing a rebound into the corner after Landu failed to hold a stinging May Mahlangu drive.
The success for the Bafana Bafana maintained their unbeaten record against the Palancas Negras, with five victories and three draws over 19 years.
“I hope scoring and winning is a sign of ... things to come,” South Africa coach Ephraim Mashaba said.
“We improved as the game went on and were the much better team during the closing stages,” Angola coach Filemon Romeu said.
Substitute Guilherme Afonso proved a threat with his dribbling and footwork, almost equalizing with a chip over Khune that Thabo Matlaba cleared.
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