By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye praised Russia’s resilience following a 1–1 draw in an international friendly on Saturday, a result that ended the host nation’s eight-match winning streak.
The Super Eagles held Valery Karpin’s side to a stalemate at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, with Okoye delivering a standout performance in his return to the starting lineup.
The Udinese shot-stopper was called upon after first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali left the national team camp due to personal reasons.
Okoye, speaking to Russian broadcaster Match TV after the match, lauded the quality of the opposition and the intensity of the encounter.
“The Russian team showed a very high level. We had to give it our all to play on equal terms with your team. I think it was a great match for the fans,” he said.
Despite Russia being currently suspended from UEFA and FIFA competitions, the match offered both sides a rare opportunity for high-level competition ahead of upcoming qualifiers.
The Super Eagles now shift their focus to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where they face a challenging path to secure a place in the tournament.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
