The Super Eagles of Nigeria demonstrated incredible resilience on Tuesday evening at the Sovcombank Arena, fighting back from a 3-1 deficit to earn a dramatic 3-3 draw against Russia in an action-packed international friendly.
Coming off a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 AFCON qualifiers, Nigeria desperately needed a positive response.
They got off to a flying start when 29-year-old Bursaspor striker Kelechi Iheanacho marked his return to the national team with a moment of brilliance.
Just 10 minutes into the match, Iheanacho took a simple pass from Abdullahi Bewene and unleashed a sublime left-footed strike from the edge of the box to put Nigeria 1-0 ahead.
However, Nigeria’s defensive frailties soon resurfaced. At the half-hour mark, a defensive mistake by Emmanuel Fernandez allowed Matvey Kislyak to snatch the ball and set up Lechi Sadulaev, who converted smoothly to level the score at 1-1.
Just before the interval, Nigeria shifted into defensive mode and lost concentration. A cross from the left found Matvey Kislyak deep inside the box, and he buried a precise volley to send Russia into the break with a 2-1 lead.
Russia carried their momentum into the second half, extending their advantage in the 54th minute when Aleksandr Sobolev set up Aleksey Miranchuk to make it 3-1 after another lapse in Nigeria’s backline.
Refusing to fold, Nigeria mounted a spirited late comeback powered by impact substitutions:
78′ — Peter Odokpolor (3-2): Just eight minutes after replacing Aderemi Adeoye, the 19-year-old substitute produced a moment of individual genius.
Snatching possession from the hosts, Odokpolor embarked on a solo run into the 18-yard box, executed step-overs past defenders, and curled a deflected shot into the back of the net.
89′ — Akor Adams (3-3): As stoppage time approached, Umar Abubakar was sent through on a counter-attack into a scoring position inside the box.
Unselfishly, Abubakar squared the ball to Akor Adams, who slotted home the dramatic 89th-minute equalizer to complete the thrilling 3-3 draw.
While the defensive performance highlighted ongoing vulnerabilities—with the Super Eagles having now conceded seven goals across their last three matches while scoring six—the late comeback offered a reassuring display of character and attacking flair following recent qualifying setbacks.
