The Super Eagles of Nigeria produced a dramatic late comeback to draw 3-3 with Russia in an international friendly on Tuesday, recovering from a two goal deficit in the second half to snatch a point in Nizhny Novgorod.
Nigeria took the lead through Kelechi Iheanacho before Russia turned the game around with three unanswered goals.
But a youthful Super Eagles side refused to give up, with debutant Peter Edokpolor reducing the deficit before Akor Adams struck in added time to complete the comeback.
Iheanacho Gives Nigeria Early Lead
Iheanacho put Nigeria ahead in the 10th minute with a powerful left footed effort from the edge of the penalty area.
It was an encouraging start for Eric Chelle's side, with the experienced forward making his return to the national team after missing Nigeria's recent 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.
Russia gradually found their way back into the contest, however, and Lechi Sadulaev equalised in the 30th minute.
The hosts then completed the turnaround just before halftime when Matvey Kislyak scored to give Russia a 2-1 lead at the break.
Russia Extend Their Lead
Nigeria struggled to regain control after the restart, and Russia added a third goal in the 54th minute through Alexey Miranchuk.
At 3-1 down, the Super Eagles were facing another difficult result following their recent 3-0 defeat to Guinea Bissau in the AFCON qualifiers.
Chelle responded by making changes as Nigeria searched for more energy and attacking threat, and those substitutions eventually changed the game.
Edokpolor Starts the Comeback
Peter Osayande Edokpolor became one of the biggest talking points of the night when the 19 year old scored on his senior international debut.
Introduced from the bench, Edokpolor drove towards the Russian defence before firing past the goalkeeper in the 78th minute to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
Suddenly, Nigeria had a route back into the match.
The Super Eagles continued pushing forward while Russia struggled to put the game beyond their reach.
Akor Adams Rescues Nigeria in Added Time
Nigeria's persistence finally paid off in the fourth minute of added time.
A quick counterattack ended with Akor Adams finding the net to make it 3-3 and complete a remarkable comeback.
The goal sparked celebrations among the Nigerian players and secured a result that looked unlikely when Russia moved two goals ahead in the second half.
A Chance for the Next Generation
The comeback was made even more significant by the number of inexperienced players involved.
The Nigeria Football Federation described the team as a youthful, heavily rotated side, with nine players making their senior international debuts during the match.
Only six members of the starting XI had previously featured for the Super Eagles.
Edokpolor's goal was the standout moment among the newcomers, but the match also gave Chelle an opportunity to assess several other players who are looking to establish themselves in the senior setup.
For a team dealing with several withdrawals and absences, the performance offered the coach valuable information about the depth available to him.
Plenty to Fix Despite the Comeback
The late fightback will give Nigeria confidence, but the performance was far from perfect.
The Super Eagles conceded three goals after taking the lead, with defensive lapses allowing Russia to take control of the match.
Chelle will be pleased with the response from his players, particularly the attacking energy shown late in the game, but Nigeria cannot afford to rely on late comebacks when competitive matches carry greater consequences.
Still, after trailing 3-1 with the game seemingly slipping away, the Super Eagles showed the resilience needed to rescue a result.
For the younger players involved, it was also an important opportunity to show that they can compete at senior international level.
Nigeria will leave Russia with a 3-3 draw, but perhaps more importantly, Chelle has been given a closer look at some of the young options who could compete for places in the Super Eagles squad going forward.