Super Eagles Share Spoils with Jordan in Antalya Thriller
Nigeria’s Super Eagles concluded their March international window with a thrilling 2-2 draw against FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan at the Mardan Sports Complex on Tuesday night.
Al-Nashama, ranked 64th in the world, showcased their quality early with a well-executed free-kick routine in the 17th minute that allowed Mousa Tamari to fire Jordan into the lead.
Nigeria thought they had equalized through Raphael Onyedika six minutes later, but his strike was controversially ruled out. The Super Eagles responded in the 30th minute when captain Moses Simon, making his 97th appearance, pounced on a rebound to slot home his second goal in as many games this month.
The turnaround was completed just before halftime as Bright Osayi-Samuel’s precise delivery found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who calmly finished to hand Nigeria a 2-1 lead at the break.
The second half was marked by physical intensity.
Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was forced off in the 57th minute, while substitutions saw Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi introduced to stabilize the midfield.
Jordan’s persistence paid off in the 77th minute when they found the equalizer. Nigeria handed a senior debut to Philip Otele late on, but the closing stages were overshadowed by a straight red card for Iwobi.
Despite the stalemate, the fixture provided valuable insights for Nigeria’s coaching staff as preparations continue for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
