Nigeria Fight Back Twice to Earn 2-2 Draw Against Poland

Nigeria’s Super Eagles produced an encouraging display but were denied victory in dramatic fashion after settling for a 2-2 draw against Poland in an international friendly played at the Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw on Wednesday.

The encounter formed part of Nigeria’s European tour during the current FIFA international window and offered Head Coach Eric Chelle another opportunity to assess his squad ahead of future competitive fixtures.

The Super Eagles arrived in Warsaw without several first-team regulars, including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Ola Aina, all of whom were unavailable for selection.

Despite the notable absences, Nigeria started brightly and took control of proceedings for long periods.

Their dominance paid off in the 23rd minute when Terem Moffi finished off a well-worked move, tapping home from close range after an intelligent delivery into the six-yard box by Moses Simon.

Nigeria continued to create openings and looked the more dangerous side, but Poland struck back just before halftime.

Kacper Potulski capitalised on a defensive lapse to draw the hosts level during first-half stoppage time, ensuring both teams headed into the break tied at 1-1.

The second half remained evenly contested, although Nigeria continued to enjoy greater possession and attacking momentum.

Their persistence was rewarded in the 77th minute when the Super Eagles won a penalty.

Paul Onuachu stepped forward and calmly converted from the spot to restore Nigeria’s lead and seemingly put the visitors on course for victory.

However, with the final whistle seconds away, Poland rescued a draw through an extraordinary long-range strike.

Przemyslaw Wisniewski unleashed a powerful effort from approximately 36 yards that beat goalkeeper Maduka Okoye and flew into the net with virtually the last kick of the match.

The late equaliser denied Nigeria a deserved win but did little to diminish what was largely an impressive team performance.

Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye produced several important saves, while the team showed encouraging cohesion despite missing some of its biggest stars.

The result will provide valuable lessons for Chelle and his technical crew as preparations continue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign and other international competitions.

Nigeria will now turn its attention to another high-profile friendly against Portugal on June 10 in what is expected to be the Europeans’ final preparatory fixture before travelling for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.