The Women’s National Football Team plays this Saturday against Slovakia, at the Tatran Arena, in Prešov, in a meeting scheduled for 3pm (mainland Portugal time), with the aim of winning again, after the 4-0 triumph recorded between the two teams in March, on the way to qualifying for the World Cup.
In the preview of the match, the Portuguese international Jessica Silva highlighted the ambition of the Navigators, highlighting that Portugal wants to add another victory and increase offensive effectiveness, despite recognizing the additional difficulties of playing away from home. The attacker warned about the intensity of her opponents, stating that “We can expect a very aggressive and intense Slovakia, as we saw in the last games we played against them”, adding that “this is another game in which we want to win and score goals” and that the team is preparing “in our best form”.
Recalling the first duel, in which she also scored, Jéssica Silva admitted that the context will be different this time, explaining that “Now the game will be more difficult because it’s at Slovakia’s home ground”, further reinforcing that Portugal cannot waste opportunities: “We know we can do more, we can create more opportunities and take them, and that’s our objective. Whether I’m the one who scores or not, our team needs to score more goals, and we’re super motivated for this game.”
The player also highlighted the team’s adaptation to the conditions found in Slovak territory, saying that “We have a good capacity to adapt”, despite the colder weather, and that the time passed since arrival allowed us to recover from the trip and better prepare for the meeting.
The call-up was also marked by the debut of Daniela Areia Santos, central defender of Valadares Gaia FC, who became the ninth player to earn her first cap for the main team under the command of coach Francisco Neto in the 2025/26 season, confirming the commitment to renewing and expanding the group’s options. Regarding the integration of new athletes, Jéssica Silva expressed satisfaction, stating that “It’s always good to see that there are more and more girls who can get here and add quality to our national team”, highlighting that the group seeks to integrate them quickly so that they feel part of the team.
The match will be led by French referee Maïka Vanderstichel, assisted by compatriots Elodie Coppola and Melissa Rossignol, while Clémence Gonçalves will act as fourth referee. Portugal thus seeks to confirm favoritism and reinforce competitive consistency in this international cycle.
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