Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari branded this friendly “a very vulgar match”.

Sanchez launched a staunch defence of his tactics after Warren Feeney cancelled out an own goal from Stephen Craigan.

“The rules of football are that you are allowed to tackle people,” said the Northern Ireland manager.

“Some of the fouls that were given in the first half were for tackles that looked perfectly good to me.

“You would get away with it in the English game without a problem.

“In continental football, tackling is not such a big thing. Continental managers do not like tackling, and continental players do not like to be tackled.

“But it has always been part of the game. We have got to do all those things that teams do not want us to do.”

Portugal took the lead in the 40th minute after Tiago released Cristiano Ronaldo with a quick free-kick.

He delivered a cross from the left and Craigan lost his bearings to turn the ball past his own goalkeeper, Maik Taylor.

Steve Jones squandered a glorious chance before Feeney’s looping header evaded Paulo Santos after a cross from Keith Gillespie in the 53rd minute.

Given that was without a number of key players, Sanchez could claim a moral victory.

“It was pleasing to round off the year by competing well against one of the game’s big hitters,” he said.

“We got a deserved draw and, considering we were without a number of key players, it is a tremendous achievement.

“Warren Feeney has come in and taken over the mantle from David Healy to show he can score at international level.”

Scolari could not wait to leave Belfast. “It was a very vulgar match. There were some things I did not like,” he said.

“It is not easy to perform when a team is trying to interrupt play. I was worried. I did not want players injured.

“In the first half I saw many things I did not like as it was a friendly.

“But we have learned things from this as we will come up against teams like Northern Ireland in the next World Cup.”