The Super Eagles will have to keep a close eye on five Russian players when they face Russia in Tuesday’s international friendly, with the game set to kick off at 6 p.m. Nigerian time at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
Russia head into the game with plenty of confidence after thrashing Namibia 6-0 in their previous outing. Five players stood out in that victory and could pose problems for Nigeria’s defence.
Lechi Sadulaev is one of the biggest threats. The Akhmat Grozny midfielder opened the scoring against Namibia and was named Player of the Match. His movement around the box and ability to shoot from distance could cause problems if Nigeria gives him too much space.
Danil Prutsev is another midfielder the Super Eagles must watch. The Spartak Moscow player scored Russia’s second goal against Namibia and showed how dangerous he can be when arriving in the box from deeper positions.
Konstantin Tyukavin added Russia’s third goal after coming off the bench. The Dynamo Moscow forward’s movement in the final third could test Nigeria’s centre-backs, especially when he finds space between the defensive lines.
Maksim Glushenkov also made an immediate impact as a substitute, scoring Russia’s fourth goal before playing a part in the final goal. His ability to influence games late on gives Karpin another attacking option.
Maksim Petrov completes the list after producing a goal and an assist against Namibia. The Baltika midfielder set up Glushenkov before converting a penalty for his first international goal.
With Russia scoring six times against Namibia, Nigeria cannot afford to focus only on the hosts’ forwards. The threat also comes from midfield, with several players capable of arriving late in the box and creating chances.
For the Super Eagles, maintaining their defensive shape and limiting space around the penalty area will be crucial as Eric Chelle’s side look to bounce back from their recent 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau and put in a strong performance against the hosts.
