Nigeria national football team, the Super Eagles began their international friendly campaign with a 2-1 victory over Iran at the Corendon Airlines Park on Friday afternoon.
The West African giants made a strong start and took the lead as early as the sixth minute through Moses Simon. The winger received a cross from the left, cut inside onto his right foot and fired a powerful finish past the goalkeeper to give the Super Eagles early control of the match.
The early goal set the tone for Nigeria, who looked confident in possession and organised without the ball during the opening stages. Iran struggled to settle, with Nigeria pressing effectively and limiting their attacking opportunities.
The Super Eagles extended their lead early in the second half. In the 51st minute, Akor Adams doubled the advantage after being set up by Ademola Lookman. Lookman’s precise delivery found Adams in space, and the striker made no mistake with a composed finish to make it 2-0.
At that stage, Nigeria appeared to be in full control. However, the match took a different turn midway through the second half. Iran responded in the 67th minute when Mehdi Taremi produced a moment of quality, scoring with an acrobatic finish to reduce the deficit.
The goal shifted momentum in Iran’s favour. From that point, they pushed forward with greater intensity and began to dominate possession. Nigeria were forced deeper into their own half as Iran created a series of chances in search of an equaliser.
Despite the pressure, Nigeria’s defence remained resilient. The Super Eagles held their shape and managed the closing stages effectively, preventing Iran from finding a second goal.
The result gives Nigeria a positive start to their friendly schedule, offering encouragement for the technical team as they continue preparations. The performance also highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in managing late-game pressure.
Nigeria will now turn their attention to their next test, where they are set to face Jordan on Tuesday, 31 March.
With momentum on their side, the Super Eagles will aim to build on this result as they continue their preparations for upcoming competitive fixtures.
