Moses Simon was on target again while Emmanuel Fernandez opened his Super Eagles goals account in their 2-2 draw with Jordan, in Tuesday’s international friendly game in Antalya, Turkey.
Simon was on target when the Super Eagles edged out Iran 2-1 last Friday in their first of two friendlies at the same venue.
For Fernandez, he marked his first start for the team by getting on the score sheet with a calm finish.
The Super Eagles had to play the closing stages of the contest with 10 men after substitute Alex Iwobi was shown a straight red card.
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After Friday’s win against Iran, head coach Eric Chelle made six changes to his starting lineup with Francis Uzoho, Zaidu Sanusi, Raphael Onyedika, Frank Onyeka, Fernandez and Yira Sor, who made his debut, making the first 11.
Iran took the lead in the 17th minute thanks to Mousa Tamari, whose left foot shot from a free Kick close to the edge of the Super Eagles box flew past Uzoho.
But the Super Eagles equalized on 26 minutes as Simon chested down Ademola Lookman’s blocked shot and hit a low left foot strike beyond the reach of the Jordanian keeper.
With four minutes left in the first half Fernandez put the Super Eagles 2-1 up as he controlled nicely a cross from Onyeka and slotted into the back of the net.
The Super Eagles had to make a forced substitute as Uzoho went off injured and was replaced by Adebayo Adeleye.
In the 77th minute Jordan drew level through Mohammed Al-Daoud, who received a floated pass inside the box and hit his effort under the legs of substitute keeper Adeleye.
Then in the 92nd minute Iwobi was shown a straight red card after lashing out at a Jordanian player who seemed to pull him back as he was trying to launch an attack.
By James Agberebi
3 Comments
Even in a 2:2 draw against a world cup bound average team, the Super Eagles still played an excitingly compelling brand of football.
I guess playing 2 new centre back pairing plus the 3rd and 4th choice goalkeepers in the course of the game proved detrimental.
Nigeria actually took time to get into the game with Jordan having a bit more bite offensively. After their first goal, a well worked free kick routine, the Super Eagles worke from their slumber to start exerting themselves more.
It paid off: 1 controversially cancelled goal, 1 incontrovertible 1 in quick succession.
Newbie Fernandez made it 2:1 with a composed finish before our naive defence caved again for Jordan’s equaliser.
Cudos to both teams who for playing with a competitive spirit.
The goals we conceded aside, I thought newbies played well. With majority of our regulars absent, I think it was slightly risky of Chelle for playing an offensive style with centre defenders who barely know eachother.
That said, promising signs are there for me that this team is going in the right direction.
I hope Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo’s nationality switch from England has concluded by the next international window as we still need more quality in that department.
Jordan? I expected a thrashing jare from Nigeria honestly.
A team that will NOT GET A SINGLE POINT at the world cup successfully rubbed shoulders with us.
A draw is humiliation for me whether the team was changed massively.
Argentina, Algeria and Austria already have free 3 points.
Eagles wasted my data last night. It is haram to draw Jordan. Jordan! Haba
My observation from the friendly is that we keep repeating same mistakes.. Our midfield struggle in the absence of Iwobi and Ndidi. Uche is not an SE material.. Nigeria has so many good players home and abroad. So needless to keep inviting players who hv been given a chance and they fail to take it. In this regard Chille should stop inviting Chukweze , Onuachu, Unche onyedika and the Porto left back . What makes a team strong is the bench. While we can boast of a good starting eleven , same can not be said of our bench. That’s why we falter when ever a key player picks up an injury. We need to start looking for like for like replacement now. Stop recycling players who hv nothing to offer