'A different level' - Russia defender reveals his toughest match was against Super Eagles

Russia defender Ilya Vakhaniya has described Nigeria as the toughest opposition he has faced in his international career so far, following a 1–1 draw between the two sides at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Friday evening.

The friendly match, part of the BetBoom series, saw Russia take the lead in the 27th minute through an own goal by Semi Ajayi.

The Super Eagles responded in the second half, with second half substitute Tolu Arokodare netting the equaliser in the 71st minute.

Speaking to Izvestia after the match, Vakhaniya reflected on the encounter.

"This was my third match for the national team. And I have never had such opponents. This is a team of a different level," Vakhaniya said.

When asked what made the match so difficult for Russia, the defender replied: "The opponents were simply of a good level. It was very difficult to play against the Nigerians.

"But in principle, we did well. We created many scoring chances, but our implementation let us down. Overall, we played well in defense and not bad in attack."

Rostov right-back Ilya Vakhaniya is quickly making a name for himself on the international stage, having already earned three caps for Russia since making his senior debut against Belarus in July 2024.

The 24-year-old has impressed with his composure and attacking instincts, and he was instrumental in Russia's dominant performance against Zambia prior to their clash with Nigeria.

In that match, Vakhaniya not only found the net but also registered an assist, helping the 2018 World Cup hosts cruise to a convincing 5-0 victory.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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