By Wale Mustapha
Russia midfielder Daniil Glebov has described Nigeria’s Super Eagles as a formidable opponent ahead of their international friendly on Friday at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
The match, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Nigeria time, is expected to be a key test for both teams as they prepare for upcoming competitive fixtures.
Glebov, who featured in Russia’s dominant 5–0 win over Zambia in March, acknowledged the strength of the Nigerian side despite the absence of several key players.
“We’ve been watching their games for two days,” Glebov said in a pre-match press conference.
“They’re a very good team — physically strong and technically skilled. We’ve got an interesting match ahead of us tomorrow.”
The Super Eagles are coming off a successful Unity Cup campaign under new head coach Eric Chelle, and the clash against Russia will offer another opportunity to test the team’s evolving tactical identity.
The friendly marks a rare meeting between the two footballing nations and serves as part of Russia’s broader efforts to maintain international match fitness amid limited UEFA fixtures.
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.
