The Portuguese bemoaned the lack of a cutting edge after his
side created numerous scoring chances and dominating possession against the
Green Falcons but failed to take advantage of them.
Just as happened in their only previous encounter 13 years
ago, which was also a friendly match, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia could not be
separated at the end of their second-ever meeting in Portugal on Friday, with
the three-time Asian champions netting a last-gasp equaliser from a free-kick
at the edge of the box that deflected off Calvin Bassey.
“We need to improve on our finishing,” Peseiro said in his
post-match interview.
“I think we played very well in the first half and could
have scored about three to five goals and in the second half as well. We
created more chances in the second half but we need the killer instinct in this
squad but I’m happy with the result.”
Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze had
first-half chances to put the Super Eagles ahead but could not, only for the
Saudis, who had lost their last six matches in all competitions, to take a
shock lead on the hour mark when goalkeeper Francis Uzoho palmed the ball into
his own net from a free-kick way out on the right flank by Salman Al Faraj.
Coach Jose Peseiro introduced Terem Moffi for the injured
Victor Osimhen, and brought in Bright Osayi-Samuel, Kelechi Iheanacho and Moses
Simon to relieve Tyronne Ebuehi, Lookman and Chukwueze.
This appeared to improve Nigeria’s lot at the fore, as
Iheanacho and Simon rattled the Falcons’ defence at will, and Simon was the
architect of Nigeria’s equaliser, when he did a yeoman’s job to lay the ball to
Victor Boniface to score his first Nigeria goal from a tight angle in the 73rd
minute.
Eight minutes later, Iheanacho drove the ball powerfully
into the net beyond the flailing hands of the Falcons’ goalie, after Moffi and
Simon combined to put the opposing defence in knots.
The game came less than 24 hours after the Super Eagles
learnt they would be playing hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau and Equatorial
Guinea in the group phase at the Africa Cup of Nations early next year, and 48
hours after they adopted ‘Let’s Do It Again’ as their mantra for the trophy
quest in Ivory Coast.
On Monday, the Eagles will take on the Mambas of Mozambique
in another friendly encounter at the same venue, before 2026 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe next month.