Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has attributed the team’s failure to score more than two goals in their international friendly against Saudi Arabia to a lack of a killer instinct among their strikers. Peseiro expressed his frustration with the team’s finishing after they created numerous scoring chances and dominated possession but failed to capitalize on them.
In the friendly match, the Super Eagles and Saudi Arabia could not be separated, with the Saudis netting a last-gasp equalizer from a free-kick that deflected off Calvin Bassey. Peseiro acknowledged that the team played well but needed a killer instinct to convert their chances into goals.
The Super Eagles had opportunities in the first half, with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze missing chances to score. Saudi Arabia took a surprise lead when Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho, palmed the ball into his own net from a free-kick.
Nigeria later equalized and took the lead, with Victor Boniface scoring his first goal for Nigeria, and Kelechi Iheanacho driving the ball into the net. The friendly match came shortly after the Super Eagles learned their group opponents for the Africa Cup of Nations and adopted “Let’s Do It Again” as their mantra for the tournament.
Next, the Super Eagles will face Mozambique in another friendly match before participating in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.