Super Eagles winger Moses Simon has praised Nigeria’s young players for showing character in the team’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Russia in an international friendly on Tuesday.
Nigeria took an early lead through Kelechi Iheanacho but fell 3-1 behind after goals from Lechi Sadulaev, Matvey Kislyak, and Aleksey Miranchuk.
The Super Eagles responded late, with 19-year-old debutant Peter Edokpolor reducing the deficit in the 78th minute before Akor Adams equalized in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Umar Abubakar, another debutant, provided the assist for Adams’ late goal. The match also saw nine players make their senior international debuts as coach Éric Chelle assessed his squad depth.
Simon, who started the game before being substituted in the 70th minute, praised the newcomers for their performance.
“A tough atmosphere, a demanding test, but these young players stood tall and showed real character to earn a commendable draw,” Simon wrote on X.
He added that their talent, courage, and composure offered reasons to be optimistic about the future of the national team.
“The future is looking good for our country,” Simon said.
The draw gave Nigeria a positive response after their 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their previous 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match and provided Chelle with valuable insight into the emerging players in his squad.
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