Super Eagles winger Moses Simon has applauded Nigeria’s young players for their resilience and character after the team fought back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 3-3 draw against Russia in Tuesday’s international friendly at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
Nigeria opened the scoring through Kelechi Iheanacho but struggled to contain the hosts, who responded with three goals to take a commanding 3-1 lead. However, the Super Eagles rallied in the second half, with debutant Peter Edokpolor pulling one back before Akor Adams struck deep into stoppage time to rescue a draw.
The encounter allowed head coach Éric Chelle to assess several new faces, with nine players making their senior international debuts. Just six members of Nigeria’s starting line-up had previously represented the senior national team, underlining the inexperience within the squad.
Simon, one of the more experienced players in the starting eleven, took to X after the match to commend the youngsters for their response under pressure.
“A tough atmosphere, a demanding test, but these young players stood tall and showed real character to earn a commendable draw.”
The Paris FC winger also highlighted the potential he saw in the emerging talents, expressing optimism about what they could contribute to Nigerian football in the coming years.
“The talent, courage and composure on display offer plenty of reasons to believe in a brighter and greater future for this team,” Simon added.
He rounded off his message with a hopeful assessment of Nigeria’s prospects, declaring: “The future is looking good for our country.”
The draw offered the Super Eagles a measure of encouragement following their 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
For Chelle, the performance also provided valuable insight into the depth of his squad, with the young players’ fightback offering encouraging signs as Nigeria continues preparations for future international assignments.