Former Nigeria international Duke Udi has challenged the Super Eagles to use their forthcoming international friendly against Russia to restore confidence among Nigerian supporters following the damaging 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau.
Nigeria’s loss in Bissau was the first defeat of Eric Chelle’s tenure and left the Super Eagles with three points from their opening two matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. Guinea-Bissau, meanwhile, moved onto six points after winning both of their opening fixtures.
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While a friendly cannot repair the damage done to Nigeria’s qualification position, Udi believes the Russia encounter provides an immediate opportunity for the players to produce the type of performance capable of changing the mood around the national team.
“They have to use the Russia game to put smiles back on the faces of Nigerians,” Udi said.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on October 6, with Chelle selecting a significantly altered squad for the fixture.
The coach has opened the door to several players outside his regular competitive squad, including domestic-based prospects Aderemi Adeoye and Michael Atata of Ikorodu City, as he looks to widen his options following the opening AFCON qualifiers.
Udi believes that experimentation is one of the primary purposes of international friendlies.
For the former Grasshoppers midfielder, Chelle should use the match to assess newcomers, examine alternative combinations and identify players capable of strengthening the squad before competitive action resumes.
But Udi does not believe experimentation should mean treating the result as irrelevant.
“Friendly games give you the opportunity to look at new players and try different things, but you still have to go there to win,” he maintained.
His position carries additional significance after he placed much of the responsibility for the Guinea-Bissau defeat on the Super Eagles players rather than Chelle, arguing that Nigeria failed to bring sufficient quality and intensity to the contest.
Russia also represents familiar opposition. The countries met in Moscow in June 2025, with Nigeria earning a 1-1 draw after Tolu Arokodare cancelled out Semi Ajayi’s first-half own goal. The result ended Russia’s run of eight consecutive victories in which they had scored 44 goals without conceding.
This time, however, Udi believes the psychological importance for Nigeria is different.
The Super Eagles need more than an opportunity to experiment. They need a performance that reminds supporters what the team can produce — and after the humiliation in Bissau, Udi believes beating Russia would be a useful first step towards winning back their confidence.
