The Super Eagles recorded a solid 2-1 victory over Iran in an international friendly clash played in Antalya, Turkey.

Paris FC winger Moses Simon broke the deadlock in the first half to give Nigeria the lead.

Sevilla striker Akor Adams then doubled the advantage in the second half, reinforcing Nigeria's strong run of form ahead of AFCON.

Iran responded shortly after, with Olympiacos striker Mehdi Taremi pulling one back just minutes after Nigeria extended their lead.

Allnigeriasoccer.com presents five observations from the match 

Okoye returns despite AFCON miss  

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle handed Maduka Okoye a starting role, despite the Udinese shot-stopper missing out on the 2025 AFCON squad.

Okoye's omission from the tournament raised eyebrows, particularly given his strong performances in Italy with Udinese.

Nonetheless, the former Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper was recalled to replace Stanley Nwabali, who is currently without a club following his departure from Chippa United.

Chibuike Nwaiwu, Emmanuel Fernandez make Nigeria debut

Trabzonspor defender Chibuike Nwaiwu and Rangers' Emmanuel Fernandez both made their Super Eagles debuts in the second half against Iran.

Nwaiwu came on in place of Igor Ogbu, while Fernandez replaced Semi Ajayi.

Akor Adams delivers in Osimhen's absence

The Super Eagles have struggled to find a focal point in attack in recent matches without Victor Osimhen.

During the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria failed to record a win in any match the Victor Osimhen did not feature in, underlining his importance to the squad.

However, Adams led the line effectively against Iran, showing he can step into the shoes of the former Napoli striker.

The Akor Adams also found the back of the net, further proving his readiness to step up in the absence of Nigeria's talisman. 

Iran show vulnerabilities, not ready for World Cup

Nigeria delivered a commanding and comfortable performance against their Asian opponents on Friday.

Although Iran managed to find the net in the second half, they struggled to pose any real threat to Nigeria throughout most of the match.

It is worth noting that football activities in Iran have been suspended amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The display by the Iranian side further suggests they are not fully prepared for the World Cup, raising concerns about their readiness to step up preparations for the global tournament.

Super Eagles underperform after Chelle's substitution

The Super Eagles' dominance during the contest began to wane after manager Eric Chelle introduced substitutions in the second half.

The Malian tactician made his first changes by handing debuts to two players, a decision Iran capitalized on, finding the net just minutes later.

From that moment, the Asian side grew in confidence and showed signs of improvement, while Nigeria's control of the game diminished.

Despite the pressure, the Super Eagles demonstrated resilience and held firm to secure victory in Turkey.

Adeyemi Adewale