Eric Chelle Reacts After Super Eagles’s Thrilling 3–3 Draw Against Russia
- Super Eagles drew 3-3 with Russia in an international friendly, with Nigeria staging a late comeback after falling 3-1 behind
- Debutant Philip Edokpolor and Akor Adams scored in the second half to rescue a point for the Eagles in the 78th and 94th minutes
- Coach Eric Chelle revealed he has about ten days to decide which players will continue with the squad ahead of November fixtures
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Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has praised his players after Nigeria fought back from two goals down to earn a 3-3 draw against Russia in an international friendly.
Kelechi Iheanacho put Nigeria in front during the first half, but Russia scored three times to take a 3-1 lead, including two goals before the break.
Source: UGC
As noted by NFF, the Eagles mounted a second-half fightback, with debutant Philip Edokpolor reducing the deficit in the 78th minute and Akor Adams completing the comeback with a finish deep into stoppage time in the 94th minute.
Chelle praised Super Eagles players
Chelle acknowledged that preparations for the match were far from straightforward, citing injuries and clubs' refusal to release certain players as major challenges heading into the game.
Because of the unavailability of several first-team regulars, Chelle turned to a number of Under-23 players to fill the squad, and the coach was encouraged by what he saw from them in Russia.
“As I mentioned before the match, we had some difficulties with the arrival of some players: their clubs didn't want to release them. That's why many players from the U-23 team came to Russia,” he said via RFS.
“Today, several of them demonstrated their potential to become part of the national team's main squad in the future. Now I'll have about ten days to decide who we'll continue working with in November. Our main priorities are the African Cup of Nations and Olympic qualification.”
Chelle, who also oversees the Under-23 setup, faces a busy schedule in the coming months. In November, he will lead the Super Eagles in a double-header against DR Congo, while Nigeria are also set to face Tanzania in a separate fixture during that international window.
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Eric Chelle gives reason Osimhen, Lookman are absent from Super Eagles squad to face Russia
The draw against Russia gives the coaching staff useful information about the depth of the squad as Nigeria chase both AFCON qualification and a place at the Olympics.
NFF releases statement after Russia draw
Legit.ng previously reported that NFF published a statement after the Super Eagles of Nigeria battled for a hard-fought draw against Russia.
The NFF praised the grit of the players to come back from 3-1 to secure a draw against Russia on a cold evening at the Novgorod Stadium.
Source: Legit.ng
