Former Super Eagles players have charged the team to sustain their recent run of form under coach Eric Chelle, as they take on Russia in a friendly game at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Friday (today), The PUNCH reports.

Today’s fixture will be the first-ever meeting between Nigeria and Russia, and it serves as another test for Chelle’s team, who are coming off the back of their triumph at the Unity Cup in London.

Since taking over his first Super Eagles game in March, Chelle has managed two wins and two draws in four matches.

Nigeria’s unbeaten run, however, looks dwarfed when compared to the Russians, who have played seven games and won all, scoring 36 goals and conceding none since the start of the year.

Going by the Russians’ form, ex-internationals feel they will pose a real threat to Chelle’s budding team, which is made up of home-based players and foreign pros.

AFCON winner in 1980, Henry Nwosu, predicts a draw.

“I expect a draw,” Nwosu told our correspondent.

“Russia will bring their best game and nothing short of what we’ve seen against other teams recently. But I think Nigeria will be the biggest team they will be playing so far. I want Nigeria to win, but I am expecting a draw because of how Russia will approach the game too.”

Another ex-player and 2004 AFCON bronze medallist, Ifeanyi Udeze, also expects the Eagles’ new boys to justify their inclusion.

“It’s just a friendly game, but we want to see them turn up and have a good game. We also want to see the new players who are playing for the Super Eagles for the first time. I want them to give their best. It might be friendly, but we don’t want to lose.”

The Russia friendly is Nigeria’s third game of this window and coach Chelle has stressed the importance of the series of games ahead of the resumption of their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in September.

“We have an important goal in September. So I saw this as an opportunity to give many players a chance to show what they can do. And I’m really happy and proud of them because, in just two or three training sessions, they worked really hard. That’s the reality,” Chelle said.

The 47-year-old began his Super Eagles reign in March with a win and a draw in two World Cup qualifying games, but it wasn’t enough to revive their chances of picking the sole ticket from their group.

With four games left in the series, Chelle’s men will face Rwanda (home) and South Africa (away) in September, while their last two games are against Lesotho (away) and the Benin Republic (home) in October.

They need to win their remaining matches to stand a chance of qualifying as they are currently fourth in Group C with just seven points, six points behind leaders South Africa.