Russia and Super Eagles of Nigeria will square off on Friday evening in a friendly encounter at Moscow’s iconic Luzhniki Stadium for the very first time at senior level.
Russia, who last competed officially in 2021 against Croatia before being suspended from global tournaments due to the Ukraine invasion, have since turned to exhibition matches to maintain activity.
Despite being sidelined from competitive football since February 2022, the Sbornaya have been anything but idle, stringing together a run of international friendlies, mostly against non-European opposition, to stay sharp.
Their most recent outing saw them dismantle Zambia in a dominant 5-0 showing back in March, which extended their impressive streak to eight consecutive wins.
During this run, Russia have astonishingly scored 45 goals without conceding a single one, demonstrating both attacking flair and defensive solidity.
However, Nigeria’s visit represents arguably their toughest test yet in this stretch of routine victories, offering a true litmus test of their current form.
The Super Eagles, meanwhile, make the trip to Moscow buoyed by a six-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Their latest triumph came last weekend when they edged Jamaica via penalties to lift the Unity Cup after a 2-2 draw in regulation time.
That result followed a crucial 2-1 win over bitter rivals Ghana in the first leg of the Unity Cup series, and now this clash against Russia offers Eric Chelle’s side another chance to fine-tune preparations ahead of a defining run in September’s World Cup qualifiers.
With just seven points from six matches, Nigeria currently sit fourth in their group, six points off leaders South Africa, making their final four games against Rwanda, South Africa, Lesotho, and Benin Republic pivotal.
Form Guide
Russia (friendlies): W W
Russia (all competitions): W W W W W W
Nigeria (friendlies): W D
Nigeria (all competitions): D L W D W D
Team News
Russia have named a strong squad, featuring several household names, including Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League-winning goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.
The lineup that dismantled Zambia is likely to remain largely unchanged, with forward Nikolay Komlichenko expected to lead the line once more.
Nigeria’s preparations, on the other hand, have been impacted by a series of withdrawals and injuries, prompting significant reshuffles in Eric Chelle’s squad.
First-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is absent due to burial rites for his late parents, paving the way for Udinese’s Maduka Okoye to start in goal.
There are further absences in defence and midfield. Right-back Ola Aina of Nottingham Forest and combative midfielder Wilfred Ndidi are both unavailable, while the attack has been weakened following the withdrawals of Kelechi Iheanacho and AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze, both citing family reasons.
Despite the setbacks, there is positive news as team captain William Troost-Ekong and Fenerbahce full-back Bright Osayi-Samuel joined up with the squad in Moscow earlier in the week, boosting morale ahead of the contest.
Expected Starting XIs
Russia: Maksimenko; Vakhaniya, Diveev, Osipenko, Krugovoy; Komarov, Chernikov, Miranchuk; Guishenkov, Komlichenko, Mostovoy
Nigeria: Okoye; Onyemaechi, Ajayi, Ekong, Osayi; Onyedika, Onyeka, Dele-Bashiru; Boniface, Dessers, M. Simon
