Nigeria Forces Russia to 3-3 Draw in International Friendly.

…Second Time Nigeria versus Russia Ended in Drawn Game.

Deplated Super Eagles of Nigeria on Tuesday at the Sovcombank Arena, Nizhniy Novgorod in Russia forced the Narshi Parni (Our Boys) to a 3-3 draw in an international friendly match.

Senior man, Kelechi Iheanacho opened scoring in the 10th minute from Abdullahi Bewane pass but then Matvey Kislyak found Lechi Sadulaev to equalize in the 30th minute. Lechi was the guy who scored the first goal in the 6-0 bashing of Russia over Namibia on the 3rd of this month.

Just as the players were warming up for the break, kislyak waded through an uncoordinated Super Eagles defence to score the 2nd goal at 45+2 minute but much pressure forced the Eagles to concede the 3rd goal when Sabolev Alexander found Aleksey Miranchuk to score in the 54th minute.

Young courageous, forceful and highly determined boys of Nigeria showed they are the future of Nigeria when 19 year old Peter Edokpolor got the 2nd goal for Nigeria in the 78th minute and Abubakar Umar found Akor Adams to equalize with the 3rd goal in the 90+4 minute.

Super Eagles had 9 players who could not play Russia due to injury, club restrictions or travel complications namely Victor Osimhen; Wilfred Ndidi; Victory Akpe; Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye (Nwabali was on the bench throughout); Raphael Onyedika; Bright Osayi-Samuel; Moses Usor; Ridwan Popoola and Suleiman Mubaraka but Kelechi Iheanacho joined the team in Russia after a long absence from the squad. The Nigerian team hardly trained together.

Statistically Russia outwitted the Nigerian team with 63-37% ball possessions stringing beautiful 529-322 passes with 15-10 shots at goal, 6-6 shots on target. Russia made 10-6 shots inside the Nigerian box from a 43-9 touches in the Nigerian box meaning Russians were not clinical finishers even with 7-3 corner kick advantage.

Nigeria was forced to 1-1 draw in the only match played at senior men’s level, an International friendly played on 6th June 2025 at Luzniki Stadium in Moscow when Semi Ajayi scored an own goal in the 27th minute and Tolu Arokodare equalized in the 71st minute.

Russia ranked 35 in the world had played three international friendly matches against African teams this year. Mauled Namibia 6-0 on 3rd October; beaten Burkina Faso 3-0 on 5th June but lost by a lone goal to Egypt on 28th May. Russia had 11 appearances at the world cup made 4th position as Soviet Union in 1966 but got to quarterfinals as Russia in 2018.

Nigeria had this year slammed Jamaica 3-0 on 30th May; played 2-2 with Poland on 3rd June; lost to Portugal 1-2 on 10th June all in International friendly matches, defeated Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo but suffered terrible 0-3 loss on a cattle ranch pitch to Guinea Bissau which CAF has reportedly banned now leaving football pundits to question who approved the pitch in the first instance. Some Clubs prevented their players from playing on that pitch for Nigeria. CAF made no punitive statement to Guinea Bissau.

Nevertheless, Nigeria ranked 26 in the world has three matches before her in the AFCON qualifiers. She will play Taifa Stars of Tanzania at home on 11th November, travel to Tanzania for the 2nd leg on 15th November before facing Madagascar away on 3rd March 2027. Nigeria had been to the world cup 6 times but never went beyond the round of 16 stages earned in 1994, 1998 and 2014.

Nigeria’s journey to CNG Irreversible Says Kyari … ….NNPC Plans to Build Three LNG Stations, 100 CNG Sites The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited Mallam Mele Kyari has declared that the drive to bring Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) closer to Nigerians has since commenced and is irreversible. Kyari, who disclosed this on Thursday during the simultaneous commissioning of 12 CNG stations in Abuja and Lagos, said in addition to the massive deployment of CNG stations nationwide, the NNPC Ltd and its partners would also build three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) stations in Ajaokuta. “There is simply no way to turn back on delivering CNG for all Nigerians. It is the right thing to do. Is it late? Yes, but we will make progress, we will cover the gap in order to ensure that the volatility we see with Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) does not apply to gas,” Kyari stated. The GCEO commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the needed support to drive domestic gas utilisation aimed at delivering cleaner and cheaper source of energy to Nigerians. While assuring that the NNPC Ltd will continue to deliver more strategic gas projects for the benefit of Nigerians in line with the Presidential CNG Initiative of bringing prosperity to all Nigerians, Kyari reaffirmed the determination of the NNPC to guarantee the nation’s energy security. Also speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director, NNPC Retail Limited, Mr. Huub Stokman revealed that in the next one year, NNPC Retail would have launched over 100 CNG sites, including 16 NNPC Gas Marketing and NIPCO Gas JV sites. “CNG provides Nigeria with affordable alternatives to existing available fuel products. It will be about 40% cheaper than petrol in Nigeria and with continued investments, it will become a significant part of our energy mix,” Stokman added. In his remarks, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo said the commissioning of the stations will not only provide economic benefits by creating jobs and stimulating local economies, it will also contribute significantly to Nigeria’s national goals of reducing emissions and combating climate change. On his part, the Chairman of the NNPC Board of Directors, Chief Pius Akinyelure said increased CNG adoption will foster economic benefits by reducing fuel costs for consumers and businesses alike. Following the removal of fuel subsidy and the declaration of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiatives, NNPC Limited has taken the lead in the deployment of Auto-CNG Stations across Nigeria. Already, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited, a subsidiary of NNPC Limited, in partnership with NIPCO Gas Limited has developed an Auto-CNG rollout plan for construction of thirty-five (35) CNG stations across the various geographical zones of Nigeria.

Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.

#FIFA #EUFA #CAF

#RFS #NFF.