Super Eagles rally from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Russia

The Super Eagles produced a spirited late comeback to draw 3-3 with Russia in an international friendly at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, 6 October 2026.

Nigeria appeared destined for defeat after falling 3-1 behind early in the second half, but goals from debutant Osayande Edokpolor and Akor Adams rescued a point for Eric Chelle‘s side.

Kelechi Iheanacho had given the Super Eagles an early lead before Lechi Sadulaev and Matvey Kislyak turned the game around before half-time. Aleksey Miranchuk then extended Russia’s advantage shortly after the restart.

Super Eagles make flying start

Nigeria made the brighter start and took the lead in the 10th minute through Iheanacho.

The forward, recalled to the national team after a strong start to the season, produced a composed finish from the edge of the area to put the Super Eagles ahead.

Russia responded in the 30th minute when Sadulaev levelled after Nigeria lost possession in a dangerous area.

The hosts then completed the turnaround in first-half stoppage time. Kislyak reacted quickest to a deflected cross and finished to send Russia into the break 2-1 ahead. (

Russia stretch their advantage

Chelle made changes at the start of the second half as Nigeria looked to regain control.

However, Russia struck again in the 54th minute through Miranchuk, who finished after a quick attacking move to give the hosts a 3-1 advantage.

Nigeria responded by increasing the pressure and making further substitutions as Chelle looked for a way back into the contest.

The changes eventually paid off in the 78th minute when Edokpolor reduced the deficit.

The Benfica youngster, making his senior international debut, found the net to give Nigeria renewed belief and set up a tense finish.

Adams completes late rescue

With Russia holding on to its lead, Nigeria continued to push for an equaliser.

The breakthrough finally came in the fourth minute of added time when Adams finished a counter-attack to make it 3-3.

Umar Abubakar provided the final pass for Adams, who kept his composure to complete the comeback and deny Russia victory on home soil.

The result saw the Super Eagles recover from a two-goal deficit to claim a share of the spoils after what had looked like another difficult evening for the side.

Chelle tests new options

The match provided Chelle with an opportunity to assess several players after a number of established Super Eagles regulars were unavailable.

Nigeria fielded a much-changed side, with several players making their senior international debuts during the game.

The inexperienced group faced a difficult test against Russia but showed enough character in the closing stages to prevent Nigeria from suffering another defeat.

For Chelle, the comeback offered a positive response from a squad that had been heavily affected by player withdrawals during the international window.

The Super Eagles had also suffered a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their previous outing, making the response against Russia particularly important for the coach and his experimental squad.

Defensive concerns remain

Despite the dramatic comeback, Nigeria’s defensive performance remained a concern.

The Super Eagles conceded three goals for the second consecutive match, with defensive errors contributing to Russia’s first-half equaliser and the hosts’ subsequent goals.

Chelle acknowledged the quality of the opposition and the difficulties Nigeria faced in assembling the squad.

“It was not an easy game because we played against a very good team,” he said.

“We had some problems in bringing some players because their clubs did not let them.”

The result therefore offered both encouragement and areas for improvement, with Nigeria showing attacking resilience while still needing to tighten up defensively.

The youthful and much-changed Super Eagles side, recovering from 3-1 down to secure a 3-3 draw provided a strong finish to the international window, even as Chelle continues to assess his options ahead of the next round of competitive fixtures.

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