POLAND fought back to earn a dramatic draw against Nigeria in an international friendly on Wednesday, scoring with virtually the last kick of the game to deny the Super Eagles victory at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw.
News Point Nigeria Sport reports that the Super Eagles appeared destined for a hard-fought win over the Polish side before Przemysław Wiśniewski struck deep into stoppage time to force a 2-2 draw and ensure both teams shared the spoils in a thrilling encounter.
Eric Chelle’s men made a bright start and were rewarded in the 23rd minute when they took the lead through a move initiated by Terem Moffi, whose right-footed assist helped Nigeria go ahead.
However, the hosts responded just before the interval as Kacper Potulski found the equaliser for the White-Reds, bringing Poland level moments before the half-time whistle.
With both sides locked at 1-1 at the break, Nigeria made several tactical adjustments immediately after the restart as Chelle sought fresh energy and a winning edge.
Philip Otele was introduced in place of Sevilla forward Akor Adams, while Semi Ajayi came on for Emmanuel Fernandez in the 46th minute.
Further changes followed as Bruno Onyemaechi replaced Zaidu Sanusi, Paul Onuachu came on for goalscorer Terem Moffi, and Calvin Bassey took the place of Igoh Ogbu in defence.
The substitutions injected renewed momentum into the Nigerian side as the three-time African champions pushed aggressively for a second goal.
Their efforts paid off when Onuachu calmly converted from the penalty spot to restore Nigeria’s lead and put the visitors 2-1 ahead.
With the clock winding down, the Super Eagles looked set to secure an impressive victory over their European opponents.
But Poland had the final say.
Five minutes into added time, Przemysław Wiśniewski struck home a dramatic equaliser, breaking Nigerian hearts and ensuring the contest ended in a 2-2 draw.
The result denied Nigeria a repeat of their last friendly victory over Poland, which came in March 2018 ahead of that year’s FIFA World Cup.
On that occasion, the Super Eagles recorded a 1-0 win over the Poles, with former Chelsea winger Victor Moses scoring the only goal from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute after being fouled by a Polish defender.
Following Wednesday’s encounter, Nigeria will now turn their attention to another high-profile friendly against Portugal on June 10.
Although the Super Eagles will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the team is using the series of friendly matches to assess tactical options and evaluate emerging players ahead of the qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.