Akor Adams has called on his teammates to move past the AFCON qualifying loss to Guinea-Bissau. The Super Eagles forward said the team must re-establish national performance standards in Tuesday’s international friendly against Russia. He spoke ahead of the match in Moscow.
Nigeria lost 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau on 30 September. It was a historic low. The Super Eagles had never lost to Guinea-Bissau in a competitive qualifier. Coach Eric Chelle apologised to fans. He took responsibility. The team faces criticism. The friendly against Russia is a chance to respond. Nigeria faces Tanzania in the next qualifiers in November. The team needs confidence.
Adams said the team must focus. “We cannot dwell on the past,” he said. “We have to show what we are capable of.” He called for leadership from senior players. He said the squad must set standards. “We need to hold each other accountable.”
Chelle faces selection challenges. The senior team and the U23 Olympic qualifying campaign demand players simultaneously. Some players are eligible for both. Chelle must balance. The Russia friendly is a test. He will experiment. He will assess combinations. The U23 campaign is also critical. Nigeria wants to qualify for the 2028 Olympics. Chelle cannot afford to weaken either squad.
The friendly against Russia is a warm-up. Russia is a strong opponent. The match is away. The crowd will be hostile. A strong performance would rebuild confidence. A poor one would deepen the crisis.
Winners: Adams, who shows leadership. Chelle, if the team responds. Players, who gain caps. Losers: Nigeria, if the team loses again. Chelle, if selections fail. Fans, if the crisis deepens. No serious losers if the team performs.
Bottom Line: Adams wants the team to reset. Chelle faces selection pressure. Russia is a test. Nigeria needs a performance. The qualifiers are in November. Time is short.