Soccer
Nigeria extended Eric Chelle’s impressive unbeaten run after playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw with Poland in an international friendly at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles twice went in front through Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu and looked set to record a rare victory over European opposition before Przemyslaw Wisniewski’s late strike rescued a draw for the hosts.
There were plenty of positives for Chelle despite the disappointment of conceding late. Debutant Abdullahi Bewene showed promise, Maduka Okoye produced several important saves and Nigeria once again demonstrated the attacking quality that has become a feature of Chelle’s team.
Soccer Super Eagles five major lessons from Poland draw
Soccer Bewene shows he belongs at this level
Abdullahi Bewene could hardly have imagined a bigger week. The Banik Ostrava defender received a late call-up after Bright Osayi-Samuel became unavailable for the trip to Warsaw. Within a day of arriving in camp, Chelle trusted the 21-year-old with a place in the starting lineup.
Playing at right-back against experienced European opposition was never going to be easy, but Bewene handled himself well. He looked comfortable on the ball, supported attacks when required and recovered quickly whenever Poland tried to target his side.
Although he collected a second-half yellow card, he also produced one of Nigeria’s most important defensive moments with a perfectly timed tackle inside the penalty area. A mistimed challenge would almost certainly have resulted in a penalty.
It was a performance that should encourage both Chelle and Nigerian fans and it almost certainly ensured there will be more call-ups for him.
Nigeria’s World Cup absence still feels wrong
The match offered another reminder of what could have been. Nigeria pressed aggressively, moved the ball confidently and created chances against a Poland side featuring Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski and several established European internationals.
Despite limited preparation time together, the understanding between the players was evident. Ndidi controlled midfield, Simon constantly threatened on the left and the substitutes injected fresh energy after halftime.
Watching the Super Eagles compete on equal terms with a strong European nation only increases the frustration surrounding their failure to qualify for the upcoming World Cup.
Based on this performance, Nigeria looked more than capable of competing on football’s biggest stage.
Okoye continues his case for the number one shirt
Maduka Okoye was one of Nigeria’s standout performers on the night. The Udinese goalkeeper made an excellent stop in the first half before producing perhaps the game’s defining save shortly after the break. A defensive error allowed Lewandowski a clear run on goal, but Okoye stayed calm and blocked the striker’s effort with his legs.
He followed that up with two outstanding close-range saves after Onuachu’s penalty had put Nigeria ahead.
Those interventions kept the Super Eagles in front and further out some light on the confidence that has returned to his game.
The only blemish on an otherwise excellent display was Wisniewski’s late equaliser. The long-range effort appeared saveable and Okoye will feel he could have done better. Even so, his overall performance strengthened his claim to remain Chelle’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Onuachu’s winning record finally comes to an end
Before the trip to Warsaw, Paul Onuachu had become something of a lucky charm for Nigeria. Every previous match in which the tall striker scored ended in a Super Eagles victory.
His first goal came in a 1-0 friendly win over Egypt in 2019. He later scored in victories against Benin Republic and Lesotho during AFCON qualifying. He also found the net during Nigeria’s 3-1 victory over Uganda at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
When VAR awarded Nigeria a penalty in the 80th minute, Onuachu calmly sent Kamil Grabara the wrong way to seemingly continue that remarkable sequence.
However, Wisniewski’s late equaliser ended the record. For the first time in his international career, Onuachu scored for Nigeria and the Super Eagles failed to win.
VAR played a huge role in both Nigerian goals
Video Assistant Referee technology had a direct impact on the final result. Nigeria thought they had taken the lead in the 23rd minute when Moffi converted Simon’s low cross. The assistant referee immediately raised his flag, but a VAR review showed Simon had timed his run perfectly before providing the assist.
The goal stood and Nigeria moved ahead.
VAR was again crucial in the second half. With the score at 1-1, play continued after a handball incident inside the Polish penalty area. The referee initially missed the offence, but VAR advised a review.
After checking the monitor, the referee pointed to the spot and Onuachu converted confidently.
Without those two interventions, the Super Eagles might have left Warsaw empty-handed. Instead, VAR ensured the correct decisions were made and played a decisive role in helping Nigeria extend Chelle’s unbeaten run to 23 matches without defeat in regulation time.
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