Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has outlined what he expects from his players when Nigeria face Russia in Tuesday’s international friendly at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Footynaija.com reports.
The Super Eagles will return to action barely a week after their disappointing AFCON 2027 qualifying defeat to Guinea-Bissau, with Chelle looking for a stronger response from his players against the Russians.
The Nigerian camp saw a number of late withdrawals, leaving Chelle with just 18 players for the friendly after injuries, club restrictions and other issues affected his original squad.
Related Post
The likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Moses Usor are among those unavailable, forcing Chelle to turn to several U-23 prospects to bolster the squad.
Despite the setbacks, Chelle insists his players are going to put in a strong performance and give their best for Nigeria. He also wants to see a different level of intensity from his team after Nigeria struggled to match Guinea-Bissau during their recent AFCON qualifier.
“We are motivated. The players want to win, and they want to give their best for the jersey and the country,” Chelle said, according to Complete Sports.
“This is not the same team. We lost the game against Guinea-Bissau because our intensity was not good. It’s going to be a different game.”
The Malian coach expects Russia to provide a stern test, particularly because of their aggressive approach when they do not have possession.
“The Russian team plays with a lot of intensity too. When they don’t have the ball, they are always aggressive. I want my team to play the same way too,” he added.
“If we play that way tomorrow, I will be very happy. I want to see a good game and a good performance from the players.”
Chelle will be hoping his experimental squad can respond positively against a Russia side that is expected to test Nigeria physically and tactically.
With several established players unavailable, the friendly also presents an opportunity for the likes of Ibraheem Ajasa, Vince Osuji and John Otomewo to make a strong impression after receiving late call-ups to the Super Eagles squad.
