Iran Coach Praises Super Eagles After Friendly Defeat

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has hailed the quality of Nigeria’s Super Eagles after his side fell 2-1 in an international friendly on Friday afternoon.

Nigeria seized control early in the contest, with Moses Simon finding the net inside six minutes.

Akor Adams doubled the advantage five minutes into the second half, giving the Super Eagles a comfortable cushion. Iran responded through star forward Mehdi Taremi in the 67th minute, but the strike proved insufficient to alter the outcome.

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle showcased the depth of his squad by fielding six players from Europe’s top-five leagues, including Maduka Okoye, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, and Akor Adams.

Speaking to Tasnim News Agency after the match, Ghalenoei praised Nigeria’s physicality and the caliber of players available to Chelle.

‘Nigeria was a very good team, and all eleven players on this team play in major European leagues such as Spain, Italy, England, France, Greece and Turkey,’ he said.

He added that the encounter provided valuable preparation for his side, allowing him to test defensive strategies and evaluate different players under the new substitution rules.

The Super Eagles will round off their March schedule with another friendly against Jordan, a fellow World Cup-bound Asian side, next Tuesday.