'Sell yourself' - Russia assistant coach claims Nigeria used friendly to showcase players to RPL clubs

Russian national team assistant coach Nikolai Pisarev has claimed that Nigeria fielded a second string squad against Russia to give players an opportunity to showcase their talents to clubs in the Russian Premier League 

Manager Eric Chelle could not call upon some of Nigeria's biggest names, with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Calvin Bassey all absent from the squad.

The Super Eagles fought back from two goals down to earn a 3-3 draw with the 2018 World Cup hosts, with two teenagers playing a key role in the comeback.

After Peter Edokpolor came off the bench to halve the deficit in the 78th minute, another 19-year-old, Abdullahi Umar, provided a stoppage-time assist for Akor Adams to score the equaliser.

Kelechi Iheanacho had opened the scoring ten minutes into the contest, but goals from Lechi Sadulaev, Matvey Kislyak and Aleksey Miranchuk saw Russia take a 3-1 lead with just 12 minutes of normal time remaining.

Pisarev suggested that Nigeria's fringe players were looking to attract interest from clubs competing in the Russian Premier League.

In quotes related by Championat, he said: "And you know, Nigeria's second team has arrived... You know what to do? Show your mettle here in the RPL. Sell yourself.

"Their first team is doing just fine. Osimhen, Lookman and company, they're doing just fine."

Eric Chelle handed debuts to nine promising players in the friendly against Russia, including Samuel James, Isaac James, Stephen Michael, Wilfred Igor, Chibuzo Nwoko, Vince Osuji, Peter Edokpolor, Abdullahi Umar and Umar Abubakar.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel