Moses Simon, Fernandez shine as Super Eagles settle for draw against Jordan
Nigeria’s Super Eagles were forced to share the spoils in a lively 2-2 draw against Jordan’s Al-Nashama on Tuesday evening, in their second international friendly in Antalya.
Fresh from a narrow 2-1 win over Iran, Head Coach Eric Chelle rang in a few changes to his side at the Corendon Airlines Park. Injuries and personal commitments saw Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi, and Maduka Okoye depart camp, paving the way for Emmanuel Fernandez, Francis Uzoho, and Zaidu Sanusi to step into the starting lineup.
It was World Cup-bound Jordan who struck first, underlining their growing pedigree on the international stage. Mousa Tamari produced a moment of quality in the 17th minute, curling a superb free-kick beyond Uzoho to hand Al-Nashama an early advantage.
Nigeria, initially sluggish, gradually found their rhythm. The midfield duo of Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika began to dictate proceedings, and although Onyedika had an effort ruled out for offside, the response soon arrived. Moses Simon, continuing his fine form, restored parity in the 25th minute with a composed finish.
The Super Eagles turned the game on its head just before halftime. On his full debut, Emmanuel Fernandez capped an assured performance with a coolly taken goal, slotting home to give Nigeria a 2-1 lead heading into the break much to the delight of the Nigerian faithful in attendance.
The second half saw both sides shuffle their packs in search of control. Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Adebayo Adeleye, but it was Jordan who found the decisive moment. With 13 minutes left on the clock, Mohammad Al Aldahod capitalized on a lapse in Nigeria’s defense, calmly finishing past the advancing goalkeeper to level the score.
A late red card to Alex Iwobi added a sour note to Nigeria’s evening, as neither side could muster a winner in the closing stages.
Attention now shifts to the June international window, where the Super Eagles absent from the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the Americas are expected to face more preparatory sides in a series of high-profile friendlies.
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