The Super Eagles of Nigeria have set a remarkable attendance milestone during their international friendly against Russia, drawing a crowd of 45,638 spectators at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Friday night.

According to the Russian Football Union (RFU), this impressive turnout marks the highest attendance for a Russian home game in six years. The only fixture to surpass this record was Russia's Euro 2000 qualifier against Belgium in November 2019 at the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg, which attracted 53,317 fans.

Historic Return to Luzhniki Stadium

The friendly match against Nigeria represented Russia's first appearance at the iconic Luzhniki Stadium since their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Croatia in September 2021. The venue, which hosted the 2018 World Cup final, provided a fitting backdrop for this significant international encounter.

The match itself ended in a 1-1 draw. Nigeria's Semi Ajayi conceded an unfortunate own goal in the 27th minute, putting Russia ahead. However, substitute Tolu Arokodare managed to level the score for the Super Eagles, finding the net just 11 minutes from the final whistle.

This result continues Nigeria's preparation phase as they build toward upcoming competitive fixtures, with the team showing resilience to come back from behind against a determined Russian side playing in front of their passionate home crowd.

The massive turnout highlights the growing global appeal of the Super Eagles and demonstrates the significant interest in international football friendlies featuring the Nigerian national team.

For Russia, this match represented an important opportunity to reconnect with fans at their premier national stadium, while for Nigeria, it provided valuable competitive experience against European opposition.

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