Nigeria’s Super Eagles came from behind to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Russia in an international friendly at the iconic Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Friday evening.
Despite missing a host of first-team regulars, including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Wilfred Ndidi, Samuel Chukwueze, and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, the Super Eagles showed resilience and character in front of a packed Russian crowd.
Russia opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark, slightly against the run of play. Danil Krugovoy surged forward from left-back and whipped in a teasing cross aimed at striker Nikolay Komlichenko. However, Nigerian defender Semi Ajayi inadvertently deflected the ball into his net while trying to intervene.
The hosts nearly doubled their lead early in the second half when Viktor Melekhin found himself unmarked following a free-kick, but the defender squandered the opportunity, sending his shot high and wide with only Maduka Okoye to beat.
That miss proved costly as Nigeria found a lifeline late on. Substitute Tolu Arokodare capitalised on a rare error from Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov to slot home the equaliser. The goal ended Russia’s impressive eight-game winning streak.
The Super Eagles displayed grit and determination throughout, refusing to back down in a charged atmosphere that regularly echoed with cheers from the home crowd.
The draw builds on Nigeria’s momentum following their Unity Cup victory over Jamaica in London last week.
Next up, Nigeria will turn their attention to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with crucial fixtures against Rwanda and South Africa.
