As the Super Eagles get set to tango Iran in a long-awaited, much-expected and highly-anticipated international friendly holding in Antalya, Turkey this Friday, something tells me the game will end in a draw. Interestingly, though, my permutations in reaching this verdict are not based on tactics or techniques of the game.
At the same time, I’m not looking at the FIFA ranking of each team nor their array of star players at par with each other. For me, the uncanny reason why I am bold enough to stick out my neck and declare a draw (of any scoreline) is basically due to coincidences that have a funny way of repeating themselves.
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So, if you are a habitual bet staker and you’re in search of some morale boosting words to help you determine which odds to put your money on, I encourage you to go for a draw of any score between both sides.
I’m not a soothsayer, but I have learnt over the years that history has a funny way of repeating itself in the outcome of football matches. It may not happen all the time, meaning nothing can be perfect about this kind of permutation, but my thoughts are filled with conviction this time that Friday’s game will end in a draw (most likely 1-1).
Now, let me start rolling out my permutations one after the other; and it would surprise you that the last time Nigeria played against a country at war was the 1-1 draw we had away to Russia on June 6th of the past year.
Dramatically, it was also a Friday, and Victor Osimhen missed that game due to injury. It was Eric Chelle’s fifth match in charge of the Eagles, and his team had to come from behind to force a 1-1 draw at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
The coincidences here are – it was a Friday, Osimhen was not present, Maduka Okoye was in goal, and Russia were in the thick of their war with Ukraine. This time out, it’s another Friday, Osimhen will not play, Okoye will start in goal, and Iran is under military bombardment from USA and Israel.
It would surprise you further to note that the Super Eagles earlier played against Ukraine in another international friendly (sometime in 2019) and that game also ended in a draw.
Back then, Nigeria led 2-0 before the Ukrainians fought back to eke out a 2-2 draw. On the other hand, last year in Moscow, Semi Ajayi scored an own goal, but Tolu Arokodare pounced to record an equaliser that made the game end 1-1.
Dramatically, the last time Nigeria played against Iran (second clash between both sides) was on June 16, 2014 at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil – and the game ended in a goalless draw.
That result gave Iran their only point of that year’s competition and they went home with two defeats in the group stage; while Nigeria finished second with a win over Bosnia before losing to Argentina.
Two coincidences from that part of history are:
1. Nigeria’s coach back then was Stephen Keshi, who previously handled the national team of Mali, just as our current coach, Eric Sekou Chelle also did in the recent past.
2. Iran’s coach at that point was Carlos Queiroz from Portugal, while Nigeria’s last foreign coach before Eric Chelle was also a Portuguese gaffer, Jose Peseiro.
Well, having stated so much about sentiments and coincidences that have inspired me to predict a draw from this game, let’s take a little bit of pedigree and warn the next haughty fan who believes our Eagles will take Team Melli to the cleaners on Friday.
The biggest football trivia from Iran is that they once had world football’s highest scorer in international matches, who happened to be Alli Daei with 109 sizzlers for this Middle East nation.
There’s also a slice of history that reminds us that Iran have won three matches at the World Cup – versus USA in 1998, Morocco in 2018 and Wales in 2022.
Most interestingly, the last two international friendlies for Iran ended in draws at a similar four-nation competition like this one in which they will face Nigeria on Friday. They played 0-0 against both Cape Verde and Uzbekistan respectively on November 13th and 18th, 2025 (but they won both on penalties).
That last bit will surely remind you of Nigeria’s last two matches at the Africa Cup of Nations – draws with Morocco and Egypt – which both had to be decided via penalties. Further back, Nigeria also had draws in the last two four-nation competitions that they played – versus Jamaica and DR Congo – which both also had to be decided via penalties.
What a load of coincidences! So, is there anyone out there who wants to bet against my long line of permutations that tend to suggest that Friday’s game between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Team Melli of Iran will end in a draw? Time shall tell…
