A heavily depleted Super Eagles side came from two goals down to hold hosts Russia to a draw in a six-goal thriller on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles came into the game following a shocking 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier last week.
Although most of the team that lost to Guinea-Bissau did not play against Russia, the Super Eagles took the lead ten minutes into the match.
Nigeria trailed 3-2 with about 12 minutes on the clock but rallied to grab a 3-3 draw in the encounter at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
Kelechi Iheanacho’s strike from outside the box gave Nigeria the advantage and stunned the home fans just 10 minutes into the match.
The Russians pushed for a leveller and got one through Lechi Sadulaev in the 30th minute after a defensive mix-up from the Nigerian defenders.
Just before the half-time break, Matvey Kislyak completed the turnaround for his side when he tapped in from the near post. In the 54th minute, the Russians weaved through Nigeria’s defence and scored a third goal through Aleksey Miranchuk.
Nigeria and their opponents made a string of changes as the game wore on. The Super Eagles continued to press for a goal and got one through Osayande Edokpolor. His stunner in the 78th minute gave Nigeria a lifeline.
Russia rallied to increase the tally but could not do so as the match entered the final stages. However, the Super Eagles, three-time African champions, were not done yet.
Akor Adams finished off a Nigerian counter-attack in the 94th minute to complete the comeback for his team. Emmanuel Fernandez began the counterattack before Umar Abdullahi put it on a plate for Adams, who made no mistake with the finish.
Nine Debutants In Depleted Squad
Nine players made their debut for the youthful Nigerian side against Russia. The Super Eagles came into the clash depleted after club restrictions, travel documentation and injuries saw seven players miss the match.
Nigeria, who were under pressure after the loss to Guinea-Bissau, the Sbornaya of Russia entered the match on the back of a 2-0 victory over Iran and a 6-0 trouncing of African side Namibia.
The Super Eagles last played Russia in June 2025. That match ended 1-1 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Unlike
Chelle Credits Tactical Shift
Coach Éric Chelle was left with what the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) called a “seriously weakened” side.
Chelle later attributed the draw to second-half tactical modifications in the forward line. He said the changes allowed his side to capitalise on fast-break transitions in the closing stages.
“This is a draw. We achieved a significant moment at the beginning of the first half. They possessed substantial moments at the conclusion of the first half,” Chelle said.
“In the opening of the second half, the situation remained comparable. We discovered a resolution because tactically we implemented adjustments regarding our strikers. During the concluding phase of the second half, they failed to identify a resolution, and consequently we achieved two goals through transitional play.”
The tactical shift paid off when Peter Edokpolor reduced the deficit before substitute Akor Adams turned home a 94th-minute equaliser following a swift counter-attack.
Chelle praised the resilience of his squad, which featured nine debutants, commending their determination to erase the two-goal deficit.
The Super Eagles will return to action in November for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
