The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the withdrawal of several key players from the Super Eagles' friendly match against Russia, citing various reasons. Captain Wilfred Ndidi and defender Victor Akpe were ruled out due to injuries. Ndidi sustained a minor knock during Nigeria's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea-Bissau last week. Akpe, a Switzerland-based defender, was stopped from flying to Russia due to his injury.
Three players were prevented from traveling to Russia by their clubs. Midfielder Raphael Onyedika was stopped by his German club, Eintracht Frankfurt. Defender Bright Osayi-Samuel and UAE-based midfielder Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola were also stopped by their respective clubs. The withdrawals have left head coach Éric Chelle with a depleted squad as he tries to bounce back from the 3-0 defeat in Bissau.
Forward Moses Usor, who scored on his debut in the 2-1 win over Madagascar in Uyo on September 25, was not in the original traveling list. However, Chelle requested him later, but Austrian club LASK told him not to fly to Russia. Suleiman Mubarak, a Slavia Prague forward, was also unable to travel due to a documentation issue. His residence permit has not been secured, preventing him from joining the team.
The NFF made the announcement through a statement issued by its Media Department. The statement explained the various reasons for the players' withdrawals. The Super Eagles are set to face Russia in a friendly match, with the final training session held at 7:30 pm local time on Monday at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
The Russian team arrives in better form, having beaten Iran 2-0 and thrashed Namibia 6-0 in Yekaterinburg on Saturday. The Super Eagles are looking for a better result than the 1-1 draw in Moscow in June 2025. Semi Ajayi's own goal put the Russians ahead before Tolu Arokodare levelled the score.
Despite the setbacks, the Super Eagles have received a boost with the arrival of Ibrahim Ajasa, a Russian club FC Rostov player, as a late invitee. This brings the total number of players in camp to 19. The team trained with 18 players on Sunday, and the coach is working to ensure the team is prepared for the friendly match.
The friendly match against Russia provides an opportunity for the Super Eagles to assess their performance and make adjustments ahead of future competitions. The team will look to bounce back from their recent defeat and showcase their skills against a formidable Russian team. The match is expected to be a challenging encounter for both teams.
Key points
- The NFF cited injuries, club restrictions, and documentation issues for the withdrawal of key players from the Super Eagles' friendly against Russia.
- The Super Eagles have been depleted by the withdrawals, but the team is working to prepare for the friendly match against Russia.
- Russia arrives in better form, having won their recent matches against Iran and Namibia.
