Arokodare scores first Super Eagles goal as Nigeria draw Russia

Photo: Russia National Team (@TeamRussia)/X

The Nigeria national team was under pressure for long stretches but in form striker Tolu Arokodare pounced on a mistake to give the Super Eagles a 1-1 draw with their Russian counterparts in Moscow on Friday.

With a team that featured mostly experienced veterans in the Super Eagles setup along with rising talent Christantus Uche, Nigeria struggled to find a rhythm against the Russian team. The hosts went ahead in the first half after exploiting Nigeria's right flank before Semi Ajayi's clearance attempt on a cross went into his own goal.

The trend continued with Nigeria failing to maintain possession and falling under siege for long stretches of the match. An experienced defense featuring Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye did well to keep the deficit at one goal.

But a moment of lost focus from the Russians allowed Arokodare to pounce in the 71st minute. After some passing in the back, Russia goalkeeper and PSG backup Matvey Safonov's careless pass went right to the in-demand striker who collected the loose ball at the edge of the penalty are before swooping in for a tidy low finish past Safonov.

After holding out against more Russian attacks, Nigeria managed to keep the score level when the full time whistle arrived but it was a less than satisfactory performance overall. The Super Eagles conclude their international break after winning the Unity Cup but questions still remain regarding the performances of the team and more significantly, whether head coach Eric Chelle is the right person for the job.