An under-strength Nigeria side held Russia’s in-form Sbornaya to a 1-1 draw in an entertaining friendly match in Moscow on Friday.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Ola Aina and Calvin Bassey, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forwards Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze were absent, yet the three-time African champions showed grit and courage in refusing to bow at a packed Luzhniki Stadium that shook now and again as the crowd purred.
In the absence of the illustrious forwards, Victor Boniface got another chance to shine, but in the 8th minute, he put too much power in chesting the ball from a cross by Bruno Onyemaechi, and the Russian defence was easily let off. Ten minutes later, Semi Ajayi headed away a
dangerous-looking pull-out, as the hosts mounted pressure on the Eagles’ rearguard.
In the 27th minute, Ajayi unwittingly diverted the ball into his own net beyond a stranded goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, after Viktor Melyokhin streamed past Bright Osayi-Samuel on the right and sent the ball into the box.
On the back foot but unbowed, the Eagles continued to knock the ball around while searching for openings in an airtight Russian defence. Raphael Onyedika, Frank Onyeka and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru were resplendent in the midfield, and captain William Ekong, Ajayi, Osayi-Samuel and Bruno Onyemaechi held the back-line firm.
Five minutes from recess, the Super Eagles got the break they needed to
draw level, as Dele-Bashiru waltzed his way past the defenders, and came
face to face with the inscrutable Matvei Safonov. Safonov won the battle of wits, diverting the ball over the sticks. There was still time for the ubiquitous Alexander Mostovoi to side-net at the other end, though Okoye had the angle covered.
Eight minutes into the second period, Onyedika cleverly broke up the Russians’ move in the middle, and found Christantus Uche, whose cross met the head of Boniface. Safonov was on hand to cuddle the ball.
Maksim Osipenko, Aleksey Batrakov, Maksim Glushenkov, Yaroslav Gladyshev, Barinov and Mostovoi all continued to mount pressure on the Nigerian defence, but Okoye, and some wayward shooting, kept the scoreline at 1-0.
In the 67th minute, Ajayi came close to redeeming himself, when he almost latched onto the ball from a free-kick on the left, but Safonov was again up to the task.
He was not, four minutes later. Substitute Tolu Arokodare opted to chase every ball as the Russian defenders passed among themselves, and as Safonov underhit the ball, the Belgium-based forward sprang forward and slotted into the far corner. It was his first goal for Nigeria, and was no more than Nigeria’s endeavour deserved.
Okoye diverted Batrakov’s shot away with three minutes left, and at the end, Nigeria kept its unbeaten record in the year 2025, ahead of two crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying games against Rwanda and South Africa in three months’ time.
