“They Did Well and Stayed Solid” – Alex Iwobi Praises Debutants After Nigeria’s Win Over Iran
Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has praised the debut performances of Emmanuel Fernandez and Chibuike Nwaiwu after Nigeria’s 2-1 friendly victory against Iran in Antalya, Turkey, on March 27.
Nigeria started strong, achieving a two-goal lead thanks to Moses Simon and Akor Adams. Iran fought back in the second half, with Mehdi Taremi scoring to narrow the gap.
Both Fernandez and Nwaiwu made their international debuts in the second half. Fernandez replaced Semi Ajayi at halftime, while Nwaiwu was brought in the 57th minute after Calvin Bassey’s injury. Both defenders performed well, helping Nigeria maintain their lead.
On his YouTube podcast, Iwobi commended the newcomers for their calmness and significant contribution to the victory.
Iwobi shared on the Alexander Yaa Digg podcast: “It’s nice to get the 2-1 win against Iran. They are a solid team… We got the two goals needed to win the game. Shout out to the two centre-backs who made their debuts in the second half; they did well and stayed solid. It was a good performance. The main thing is that we won, which boosts our confidence.”