Simon, Adams on Target as Nigeria Edge Iran in Turkey Friendly

Nigeria’s Super Eagles opened their campaign at a four-nation invitational tournament in Turkey with a 2–1 victory over Iran on Friday.

First-half pressure and early goals proved decisive for Nigeria at the Mardan Titanic Sports Complex in Antalya, with Moses Simon and Akor Adams finding the net in either half.

The match marked Nigeria’s first outing since finishing third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and forms part of the team’s rebuilding effort after missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Iran, whose World Cup status remains uncertain amid geopolitical tensions and ongoing discussions with FIFA, used the fixture as preparation for the tournament.

Nigeria took control early. Simon opened the scoring within six minutes, cutting into the box and finishing low at the near post after beating his marker.

The Super Eagles doubled their lead shortly after the restart. Ademola Lookman threaded a pass through Iran’s defence, releasing Adams, who ran onto the ball and slipped his finish under the goalkeeper.

Iran reduced the deficit later in the match but could not find an equaliser, as Nigeria held firm to secure the win despite a sparsely attended stadium.

Head coach adjustments were evident in the lineup, with Maduka Okoye returning in goal and Igoh Ogbu stepping in for the injured Calvin Bassey. Nigeria also played without key forward Victor Osimhen.

Nigeria will conclude their participation in the tournament against Jordan on Tuesday.