Nigeria ended the international window with a hard-fought 3-3 draw against Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, and it took a goal deep into stoppage time to get there.
Kelechi Iheanacho put the Super Eagles ahead in the 10th minute. Russia then hit back through Lechi Sadulaev, Matvey Kislyak and Aleksey Miranchuk to lead 3-1. A raft of substitutions from coach Eric Chelle turned the game around late on. Peter Edokpolor, on his senior debut, scored in the 78th minute, and Akor Adams levelled in the fourth minute of added time.
After the game, Chelle said he was happy with his experimental side and had seen a few lads who can make the main team with time.
Footy-Africa picks five key takeaways from the six-goal thriller.
For Eric Chelle, the more, the merrier
With several players unavailable because of club commitments and other issues, Eric Chelle had to make do with a largely youthful squad, complemented by a sprinkling of experienced players, for the game.
It also gave the Super Eagles coach an opportunity to assess some of the players he has pencilled in for Nigeria’s U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Chelle appears to have achieved two things from the exercise. He has unearthed new talents such as Peter Edokpolo, Cibby Nwoko and Abdullahi Umar, who could be in line to deputise for the established players in the first team, thereby improving the squad’s depth.
He also now has more options to work with as he fine-tunes his team ahead of the next round of AFCON qualifiers in November.
Last Night 🎬🍿 https://t.co/ZTdKpPe2HS
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) October 7, 2026
Iheanacho still has plenty to offer
Kelechi Iheanacho may have endured a difficult spell in recent years, but the Bursaspor forward showed that there is still plenty left in the tank.
The 30-year-old has been in impressive form in the Turkish second division, scoring 11 goals and providing two assists in the TFF First League, which prompted Chelle to hand him a recall for the friendly.
His movement off the ball during the half he played was impressive and looked different from some of the recent offerings from Nigeria’s forwards.
Playing centrally, Iheanacho showed good positional awareness, drifting into wider areas when required while also providing an outlet for his teammates with his ability to hold up play.
He took his goal particularly well, finding the bottom corner with a well-placed effort to put Nigeria ahead.
And although his legs may not be as strong as they used to be, Iheanacho still possesses something different, and that experience and intelligence could prove useful to the current generation of Super Eagles forwards.
What a night 💚! https://t.co/TQQK6qjKAU
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) October 6, 2026
The wings could hold the key for Chelle
Nigeria’s glorious era was characterised by the presence of outstanding wingers such as Finidi George, Emmanuel Amunike and Tijani Babangida.
Against Russia, there were glimpses of that traditional Nigerian threat from the flanks.
Most of Nigeria’s dangerous moves came from the wide areas, particularly in the second half, with Abdullahi Umar and Peter Edokpolo moving into wider positions to provide support for Akor Adams, who operated centrally.
That approach eventually paid dividends. Edokpolo cut in from the flank to score, while Umar delivered the cross that allowed Adams to find the equaliser.
Maybe, just maybe, Chelle should experiment more with giving the wings greater importance as he looks to complement the pace and power Nigeria already possess in attack.
Kickoff Imminent https://t.co/GvEeYq5oZu
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) October 6, 2026
Bewene makes a strong case for more chances
Banik Ostrava defender Abdullahi Bewene made his Nigeria debut last June against Poland and Portugal ahead of the World Cup and showed plenty of promise.
Although he was overlooked for the AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, the 21-year-old once again demonstrated what he can offer at right-back in the friendly against Russia.
Bewene showed grit and character and was easily one of Nigeria’s better performers on the day, combining his defensive duties with an impressive willingness to join the attack.
With Ola Aina now in his 30s and Bright Osayi-Samuel yet to completely convince, perhaps it is time for Bewene to be given a decent run of games with the senior national team.
Abdullahi Umar ecstatic after assist on Super Eagles debut in Russia thriller
Chelle could have a selection headache with the U-23s
Eric Chelle’s squad for the Russia game was largely made up of U23 players, alongside a few established Super Eagles players, with Nigeria’s U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers clearly in mind.
The coach wanted to take a closer look at several players he has identified for the qualifier against DR Congo, making the Russia friendly something of an audition for the youngsters.
Judging by both the result and individual performances, the exercise went well.
Several players acquitted themselves impressively, giving Chelle more options but also creating a selection headache ahead of the U23 qualifiers.
The absence of players such as centre-back Victory Akpe and midfielder Ridwan Popoola from the Russia trip could make that decision even more difficult.
For Chelle, that is hardly a bad problem to have. If anything, the performances in Russia have shown that Nigeria’s pool of young talent is deeper than previously thought.
