Friendly: Eagles’ Rating Player-By-Player In Draw Vs Russia

Moscow, Russia — The Super Eagles of Nigeria battled to a 1-1 draw against Russia in a keenly contested friendly match held at the iconic Luzhniki Stadium on Friday, with varying individual performances across the pitch.

Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye stood out as one of Nigeria’s brightest performers, producing several crucial saves to keep the scoreline level. Despite his strong reflexes, the shot-stopper was found wanting in his ball distribution, highlighting an area for improvement.

Defensively, right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel endured a challenging outing, particularly struggling to contain Russia’s pace on the flanks. His error led to the Russian goal, while centre-back duo William Troost-Ekong and Semi Ajayi also experienced a difficult evening. Ajayi’s own goal in the first half summed up a nervy performance, although he showed some composure after the break.

Bruno Onyemaechi on the left side of defense failed to impress, picking up a booking and contributing little to Nigeria’s attacking transitions.

In midfield, Raphael Onyedika struggled to retain possession under pressure, while Frank Onyeka delivered a commendable shift — often breaking up Russian plays and distributing the ball effectively. He emerged as the Super Eagles’ top outfield performer.

Attacking midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru showed flashes of potential with an attempt on goal in the first half but failed to influence the game consistently. Similarly, Christantus Uche started brightly for Nigeria but faded as the match progressed. He was replaced by Olakunle Olusegun in the closing stages.

Veteran winger Moses Simon had a quiet game by his standards, rarely troubling the Russian defense, while striker Victor Boniface continued his struggle in front of goal and was eventually substituted.

Among the substitutes, Tolu Arokodare provided a spark off the bench, netting Nigeria’s equaliser in the 71st minute and injecting some energy into the attack. Olakunle Olusegun, on the other hand, battled hard after coming on but made little impact, while Igoh Ogbu, who also featured briefly, was not rated due to limited minutes.

As the Super Eagles look ahead to future fixtures, head coach Finidi George will no doubt take stock of both the positives and gaps evident in this tightly contested friendly.

By Enoch Odesola | June 6, 2025