content with vs settle for

[retro]

"We were up against a very impressive Portuguese side who were technically good and also had to content with the heat even though we kicked off early in the morning."

I've got 2 questions. Can we replace "to content with" with "settle for" above and are they interchangeable if the speaker deliberately chooses the less good?

Eg. There was a variety of dishes: fried shrimps, poultry, pizza, hamburger and fish. Instead she settled for/content with a sandwich as she was on a diet.

Thank you

[2006]

1...In the first sentence, the word should be 'contend', not "content". Also, due to lack of proper punctuation, it is not made clear who had to contend with the heat.

2...There were a variety of dishes.....
Instead she (settled for)(had to be content with) a sandwich.......

[retro]

1...In the first sentence, the word should be 'contend', not "content". Also, due to lack of proper punctuation, it is not made clear who had to contend with the heat.

A soccer team is being talked about.
Here's the rest of the report:

The Tykes registered their first pre-season win with two goals from new recruit Kayode Odejayi and a stunning effort from Grant McCann.
"We won the game and it is always nice to get that first victory under your belt in pre-season." said Davey."
("We were up against a very impressive Portuguese side who were technically good and also had to content with the heat even though we kicked off early in the morning.")

[2006]

It doesn't change what I said.

Although both teams had to contend with the heat, the writer is focussing on "we". So the sentence should read as follows.

We were up against a very impressive Portugese side, who were technically good, and (we) also had to contend with the heat, even though we kicked off early in the morning.

[retro]

It doesn't change what I said.

Although both teams had to contend with the heat, the writer is focussing on "we". So the sentence should read as follows.

We were up against a very impressive Portugese side, who were technically good, and (we) also had to contend with the heat, even though we kicked off early in the morning.

Yes, though 2, not 1, teams are being talked about the focus is on "we" (an English team, not the Portuguese). I forgot to mention it.

Anyway, can we replace "contend with" with "settle for"

[Barb_D]

No, your suggest of "settle for" related to the typo of "content," when it should have been "contend."

Now that you know it's "contend," "settle for" is no longer an appropriate substitution at all.

They had to deal with the heat, cope with the heat, or to manage in spite of it.

[a writer, not a teacher]