Goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams secured a 2-1 win for the Super Eagles, in Friday’s international friendly game with Iran in Antalya, Turkey.
It is now two wins and one draw in three meetings against Iran for the Super Eagles.
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle put a strong starting lineup which had Maduka Okoye, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Semi Ajayi, Igoh Ogbu, Bruno Onyemaechi, Alex Iwobi, captain Wilfred Ndidi, Samuel Chukwueze, Simon, Ademola Lookman and Adams.
Paul Onuachu, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Chidera Ejuke and Frank Onyeka all came on in the second half.
Also, new invitees Emmanuel Fernandez and Chibuike Nwaiwu made their debuts for the Super Eagles in the encounter.
After a even balanced early exchange, the Super Eagles took the lead on six minutes as Simon raced on to Samuel Chukwueze’s pass, beat his marker by cutting inside before hitting a low shot past the keeper.
Also Read: Trabzonspor Applaud Nwaiwu’s Maiden Super Eagles Invitation
In the 14th minute Iran launched an attack but Maduka Okoye got down well to stop a low strike.
Two minutes later Chukwueze went close for the Super Eagles but saw his shot just off the target.
It was the turn of Iran to attack and they wnr close but Semi Ajayi made a tomely block inside the box.
Then in the 33rd minute Akor Adams had a chance to double the lead after out muscling his marker but saw his shot hit the side netting.
The Super Eagles had a bright start in the second half and went close through Lookman but his left foot strike went just wide.
The positive start to the second half by the Super Eagles was eventually rewarded in the 51st minute as Adams connected to Lookman’s defense-splitting pass and slotted past the keeper.
Iran almost pulled a goal back seven minutes after the Super Eagles doubled their lead but Osayi-Samuel made a good block inside the box.
The Iranians continued to push for a goal and once again went close but Nwaiwu got down to head away a dangerous for a corner on 66 minutes.
The resultant corner led to a goal for Iran on 67 minutes, as Taremi reacted quickest to fire the ball home after the initially effort, a header from the corner, hit the cross bar.
In the 71st minute the Super Eagles almost extended their lead as Onuachu headed a cross towards goal but the keeper claimed the ball.
Two minutes later Taremi thought he had equalised after he rounded Okoye and slotted into the net but his effort was disallowed for handball in the buildup to the goal.
With 10 minutes left Lookman tried a shot from just outside the box but it went just off the target.
Few minutes later Ejuke sent in a dangerous cross but it was blocked away by the Iranian defence.
Up next for the Super Eagles is a second friendly game this time against Jordan on Tuesday, March 31, also in Antalya.
By James Agberebi
12 Comments
By 2030:
Okoye – 31yrs
Osayi-Samuel – 32yrs
Ajayi – 36yrs
Ogbu – 29yrs
Onyemaechi – 30yrs
Ndidi – 33yrs
Iwobi -33 yrs
Simon – 34yrs
Chukwueze – 30yrs
Lookman – 32yrs
Adams – 29yrs
SUBS:
Onyeka – 31yrs
Ejuke – 31yrs
Dele-Bashiru – 28yrs
Onuachu – 35yrs
Nwaiwu – 27yrs
Fernandez -29yrs
What the hell are we doing….??!
Tosin is on the wings waiting at 29.
Gusau and dikko are currently slugging it out for September elections.
Where is the grapevine the understudies will come from?
Gusau NFF buried our cadet football.
At least 11 players in that list appeared in the two botched 2022 and 2026 qualifiers.
And we want to pretend they will be third time lucky when more than half are on “football age”.
We are still romanticizing the “super Eagles are full of stars” jibe so we are wary of delving into the unknown.
Some coaches want us to “look inwards” (read as the npfl) to get the nxgn of eagles.
The road is long sha.
They should pray Pamoja 2027 really holds so that many of them can “complete” afcon by winning gold after silver and bronze in 2023 and 2025 respectively.
That should be their last dance
These players are the best we have for now.Every year at least 2 young Quality players good enough to be part of the super eagles are discovered.
It will be catastrophic to invite dozens of young players just for the sake of securing the future and get eaten by Iran.Those clamouring for great numbers of new faces in this windows will be the first to condemn the gaffer and call for his head for losing to the likes of Iran and Jordan respectively.
Like I said in my earlier post few days ago which you opposed,though I wanted to drop a line after reading your post,but for hectic schedules!
Thank you, @Greenturf. Nothing more to add.
First target is the next Afcon. Then we adjust going on
What is Onuachu still getting invitations for? Are we waiting for him to mature , or develop ? I watched him closy today ..
No improvement. Pls the coach should stop inviting him. That space should be reserved for a young player that will deputies Osihmen. We know how Osihmens absence and ready made substitute in that mould cost us the world cup. All departments are ok. Chelle and the NFF should use the remaining international friendlies to searh for Osihmen’s deputy. So tnat what befall us before wont repeat itself
True!
Akor is already Osimhen’s deputy. Yes Onuachu should stop being invited and gradually, the likes of Moses Simon, Chukwueze, Semi Ajayi should be getting faced out over the next one year or two.
Chelle is pragmatic and is slowly bringing young, fitter players into the team, like he introduced Fernandez and Nwaiwu today against and a top team like Iran today. We play for today, not for 2030. If Chelle makes a very dramatic change of his team to play top-notch teams and lose- same negativity spinners here will judge him quoting fake percentages of lost matches under his watch.
Damage was done when Paseiro and Finidi mismanaged the 2026 WC qualifiers earlier on before Chelle was handed and impossible rescue mission, which he almost accomplished. Had Chelle supervised the qualifiers from beginning, I can see South Africa rigging their way through the group as they did.
I hope the one who called him a Tuareg herdsman had shipped his left Arm to him by now since he defied his pessimistic prediction beating Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt in the last Afcon and now using his leprous right arm to type his negativity clothed as critic or advice. Chelle doesn’t need that and Nigerians like the direction he is taking the team.
It is official: the Super Eagles are now undoubtedly one of the most ruthlessly exciting, well coached, moderate flamboyant side not to be gracing the World Cup this year.
From all indications, many Nigeria fans have overcome the disappointment of missing back-to-back World Cups, I know I have, why cry over a spilt bowl of Garri?
However, pre and post World Cup, I think the Super Eagles will not be short of suitors to participate in high profile, high pressure, high octane friendly matches, if nothing, because the organisers know they will be availed of free-floating, free-flowing, fabulously orchestrated brand of football, the likes we saw at the Afcon, the like we witnessed against Iran last night.
Just look at the goals: the central midfielder left 2 initial Iranian midfielders for dead before making light work of 2 others to exchange a 1-2 with his colleague which then freed Moses Simon down the left to do his thing. Simply and utterly brilliant.
The second was twice as exciting as Lookman”s telepathic through ball allowed Akor Adams to weave his magic wand. Poetry in motion.
The team continued from where they left off from the Afcon, looking composed, coordination and coherent.
Yes, players like Moses Simon and Paul Onuachu are slowly looking like an anachronism to what should feel and look like a younger generation of more updated hatchlings of a youthful nest but hey, I am not complaining one bit.
Who cares about 2030? I don’t! Even the Holy Books says: “Worry not about tomorrow for leave tomorrow to worry about itself.” Hence I choose to revel in the here and in the now.
For now, it is undeniable: the Super Eagles are a formidably frightened force, fateful not to be going to the World Cup due to farcical football management.
Whilst no one can predict the (immediate) future with a credible sense of accuracy, I think, all things being equal, this Super Eagles side can be counted on to serve up delicious meals of deliciously dished out deft brand of football for at least the next 2 years and, as already mentioned, should not be short of suitors for excitement in friendlies.
What currently sets this team apart is that purposeful, direct, positive approach to play. They don’t dilly-dally. Once Iwobi, Chukwueze and Lookman have the ball, it is “forward ever”. On the down side, this openness in directness leaves us open to swift counter attacks where we remain slightly vulnerable at the back.
But we make up for this when we have quality centre backs on display who are always willing and capable to stay the course.
Some hatchlings are coming through, but at the moment, they have to contend with a place on the bench, with few, like the injured Benjamin Frederick, elbowing his way into the starting 11.
The team is in good nick. Look inside the bonnet and the engine is sound, capable of driving our a way to another victory on Tuesday over a tarmac paved with excitement in how the Super Eagles go about their business with eloquence, grace and style.
Totally agree Deo
My Plea to the likes of Osimhen, Lookman, Iwobi, etc do whatever you can to prolong your careers.
Embrace/Study what Ronaldo etc has done to keep him fit and firing into his very late 30’s
If Chelle continues at the helm and develops a plan B&C, when his favoured tactical setup is not clicking and even within the likely background scenario of the NFF’s continued incompetence.
SE should be at the world cup in 2030.
Nigeria have what it takes to,get into the FIFA top 10 rankings.
Enjoyed the recent round of friendlies.
Brazil vs France (French forward line is a force)
Spain vs Serbia (Lovely football from the Spanish)
Netherlands vs Norway
Iran vs Nigeria (Lovely incisive vertical play)
Austria vs Ghana (for Obvious reasons)
Na that Austria Vs Ghana match i enjoy pas
“My Plea to the likes of Osimhen, Lookman, Iwobi, etc do whatever you can to prolong your careers”
That should be for the club sides.
Not national team oh.
The last afcon showed teams who integrated plenty youth within their squads that will peak in a few years.
Our “old” men by then might struggle again in world cup group because we want to compensate people who bungled 2 opportunities and 8 years to reach the mundial.
Mbanu.
We should not integrate anybody that were in the 2022 and 2026 qualifiers squad and hope they’d miraculously succeed by the 2030 time.
It will not work.
Who were the “old men” in the afcon champions team, don’t mind Morocco pyrrhic victory after CAF “disbanded” the disciplinary committee that dismissed morocco petition until a soon to be embarrassed by CAS appeal board verdict out of nowhere.
Only Mane and Koulibaley.
If we allow a few guys to prolong their careers in the national team, we will turn south Africa who never qualified for the world cup since 2002 until this time.