A first-half goal proved to be the difference as Portugal won 1-0 in a friendly international against the Republic of Ireland Women's Under-16s in Beja.

This was the second game between the teams this week and the second time that Portugal edged it thanks to their clinical finishing inside the penalty area.

The only goal of the game arrived on four minutes when Alice Reto did brilliantly on the left side and crossed for Neide Guedes to head in past goalkeeper Nicole Nix.

Portugal created a lot of half chances and looked dangerous on the break. On 20 minutes they rattled the crossbar when Carolina Santiago spun off her marker and unloaded a shot at goal.

Treaty United's Nix didn't have too many efforts to worry about and that was in large part due to the stout defending that Ireland produced as a team unit.

Ireland struggled to get into a position to create any clear-cut chances on goal but they attacked whenever in possession and on another day might have profited from their positive play.

A header from substitute Orlaith Doherty late on lacked the required power to trouble the Portuguese goalkeeper.

Head Coach Tom Elmes will surely be pleased at being able to test his players against a top class opponent as their development at international continues.

Portugal: Sabrina Araújo; Carolina Pimenta (Érica Cancelinha 79), Matilde Faria (Maria Chaves 79), Inés Meninas; Matilde Nave (Beatriz Pedras 46), Luana Barata (Rita Almeida 46), Rita Melo (Matilde Vaz 62), Nicole Cassama (Ana Filipa Ribeiro 46); Alice Reto (Maria Luiza Gaspar 59), Carolina Santiago (Daniella Serráo 59), Neide Guedes (Cíntia Martins 62).

Republic of Ireland: Nicole Nix; Niamh Tyrell (Aoife Turner 48), Anna Cantwell (Ellen Dolan 46), Heidi Macken, Amy Madden (Jodie Griffin 62); Jess Fitzgerald (Alice Lillie 62), Aoife Kelly; Joy Ralph (Orlaith Doherty 68), Jodie Loughrey, Lia O'Leary (Fiana Bradley 68); Grace Flanagan (Skye Corcoran 46).

Referee: Teresa Oliveira (Portugal).