Fernandes played out on the right at times but switched with Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva and was often involved centrally, as he again proved his potency in front of goal for Portugal.
It was his double that saw off North Macedonia in the play-off last March to secure his nation’s spot in Qatar.
“It was a very complete game,” he said of the latest victory over Nigeria. “We were very capable of having possession of the ball, managing the game and taking advantage of our opportunities to score. We also defended very well. We have a capable team, with a lot of quality, and we demonstrated that today, in an important step towards gaining confidence.”