Chelle says second-half changes sparked Nigeria's 3-3 draw with Russia

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle said Nigeria's 3-3 draw with Russia on Tuesday resulted from second-half tactical changes in the forward line, which allowed his team to exploit quick counterattacks late in the friendly at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. Nigeria took an early lead in the 10th minute when Kelechi Iheanacho scored, but Russia turned the match around before halftime with goals from Lechi Sadulaev and Matvey Kislyak. Early in the second half, Aleksey Miranchuk made it 3-1 for the hosts, increasing pressure on Nigeria after its recent 3-0 loss to Guinea-Bissau in AFCON qualifying. In his post-match news conference, Chelle said Russia controlled much of the end of the first half and the opening momentum of the second half. However, substitutions and structural changes up front restored Nigeria's attacking threat. Chelle said the match was a draw, noting that Nigeria had a significant moment early in the first half while Russia had substantial spells late in the first half. He added that the start of the second half was similar, and that a tactical solution involving the strikers changed the situation. In the closing phase of the second half, he said, Russia could not find an answer, and Nigeria scored two goals through transitional play. The adjustments paid off when Peter Edokpolor reduced the deficit, and substitute Akor Adams scored the equalizer in the 94th minute after a swift counterattack. Chelle praised his squad's resilience, noting it included nine debutants, and commended their determination to erase the two-goal deficit.