Super Eagles Gear Up for Tough Match Against Russia

The Super Eagles want to finish a challenging international window on a high note when they play Russia in a friendly match at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday.

Kick-off is set for 6pm Nigerian time. Coach Eric Chelle’s team is looking for a strong response after a mixed start to the window.

Nigeria kicked off with a 2-1 win over Madagascar in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, but then they lost 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau.

This setback has raised expectations for a better performance against Russia. Striker Akor Adams said Chelle is aiming for victory even with changes in the squad.
“There are a lot of new boys in the squad, but it’s still the Super Eagles,” Adams said in an interview with NFF TV.
“The coach has made it clear, we have to win. Russia are a good team. They’re hungry to play games because of their peculiar situation (FIFA ban). For us, it is to give our best, come out with a good result and a good performance.”

Chelle Adjusts the Squad

Chelle has had to change his plans due to several player withdrawals and issues with player releases.

Captain Wilfred Ndidi is out with an injury. Eintracht Frankfurt did not release Raphael Onyedika. Bright Osayi-Samuel is also unavailable. Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who wasn't initially called up, will not play.

The squad now has 19 players after the late call-up of Ibrahim Ajasa. The FC Rostov midfielder has joined the team in Nizhny Novgorod ahead of the match.

Among those in camp are Stanley Nwabali, Emmanuel Fernandez, Benjamin Frederick, Kenneth Igboke, Chibuzor Nwoko, Umar Abubakar, Peter Edokpolor, Abdullahi Bewene, Umar Abdullai, Atata Michael, Aderemi Adeoye, Isaac James, and Michael Stephen.

This reshuffle gives some fringe players a chance to impress the coaching staff.

Iheanacho Makes a Comeback

Kelechi Iheanacho is expected to return to the starting line-up after missing Nigeria’s recent AFCON qualifiers.

The Bursaspor forward has been recalled after more than 16 months away from the national team. He comes into the game in great form, having scored 11 goals in eight matches in Turkey.

His return could boost the attack alongside Moses Simon and Adams. The friendly against Russia is a chance for Iheanacho to show he deserves a spot in Chelle’s plans.

“I am really happy to be here, and I will enjoy it with the boys, and hopefully we will have a very lovely outing on Tuesday,” Iheanacho said in an interview with the Super Eagles media team.

Russia Comes in Strong

Russia is coming into this match with confidence after winning their last two games against Iran and Namibia.

Their latest match was a big win, with a 6-0 thrashing of Namibia on Saturday. This showed off the attacking talent that coach Valery Karpin has.

Dynamo Moscow forward Konstantin Tyukavin scored in that match and is one player Nigeria should keep an eye on. He has also scored four goals and provided one assist in seven league matches this season.

Russia will miss some key players. Aleksandr Golovin is out with an ankle injury, and Krasnodar striker Dmitry Vorobyov has left the camp.

Even with these absences, the hosts have enough attacking strength to test Nigeria.

Tuesday’s match will be only their second meeting.

Their first game ended in a 1-1 draw at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium in June 2025. Russia went ahead with a Semi Ajayi own goal, but Tolu Arokodare equalised in the 71st minute, scoring his first goal for the Super Eagles after taking advantage of a bad back pass.

More than 38,000 tickets have been sold for Tuesday’s match at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, which holds 41,300 fans.

Conclusion

This match is a good test for Nigeria, which is still finding its way under Chelle.

The coach will want his team to show better defense than they did against Guinea-Bissau. At the same time, the return of Iheanacho and the involvement of newer players will help him evaluate his options.

Russia comes in confident after scoring seven goals in their last two games.

With both teams missing key players, the match might depend on who adapts better.

For the Super Eagles, Chelle’s message is clear: they need to deliver a great performance and leave Nizhny Novgorod with a good result.