Nigeria face Russia in an international friendly match on Tuesday as they hope to bounce back from the shock 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their last outing.
The Super Eagles suffered one of the most surprising results in African football in recent years when they were beaten by the Djurtus in their second Group L game of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
The three-time African champions had began their campaign with a hard-earned win over Madagascar in their opening clash, but the defeat against Guinea-Bissau now leaves them in a tough spot to qualify.
They must now bounce back and shift their focus to the upcoming game later today against Russia, although their preparations for the clash has also been hampered by several withdrawals and injury issues.
Both sides previous meeting ended in a 1-1 draw in 2025 and they will be eager to claim the bragging rights this time around.
This article highlights three Nigerian players who could turn the game around:
Under the floodlights in Moscow https://t.co/P6YsW0siwT
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) October 6, 2026
Kelechi Iheanacho
Kelechi Iheanacho is in contention to make his first appearance for the Super Eagles in 16 months if he takes to the pitch for the clash against Russia.
The 30-year-old has been in stunning form for his club Bursaspor in the Turkish first division this season, scoring 11 goals in eight appearances across all competitions.
Iheanacho will be hoping to carry that form to the national scene, alongside his experience and ability ro hold up play, which could help Nigeria unsettle the Russian defence.
Bursaspor lured Kelechi Iheanacho from Celtic with huge contract offer
Akor Adams
Another player to watch against Russia is Akor Adams, who is also one of the senior players named in the squad. The Venezia striker endured tough outings against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
Adams failed to provide any serious threat in attack during both games, which has cast doubt on his chances of earning another call-up.
This match offers him a chance to show his quality and a good performance could be enough to convince Eric Chelle to give him another chance to play for the Super Eagles and also end his poor run of form.
Akor Adams: ‘Enough with the negativity, we are targeting six points’
Emmanuel Fernandez
Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez will also be looking to shine if he gets the opportunity to play in this clash. With several regular centre-backs out of the encounter, he could earn a spot to start against the European side.
Fernandez has proven his worth at club level and has also shown what he can bring in his few appearances for the national team also.
He scored his first goal during the 2-2 draw against Jordan in March and his threat from aerial positions and his strength in duels as well could make him a very important player in both boxes during the clash.
