Argentina striker Sergio Aguero collapsed in the dressing room at halftime before it lost 4-2 to fellow World Cup qualifier Nigeria after taking a two-goal lead in a friendly in Krasnodar, Russia on Tuesday.
Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli rested Lionel Messi following the 1-0 win over next year’s World Cup host Russia on Saturday and it seemed that it could cope without him.
Ever Banega curled in a free kick, awarded after Nigeria goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi picked the ball up outside his area, in the 28th minute and Aguero finished off a sweeping counter-attack eight minutes later.
But Kelechi Iheanacho inspired Nigeria’s fightback.
First, he scored from a free kick on the stroke of halftime and then set up the equaliser by pulling the ball back for to net seven minutes after the re-start.
The Super Eagles took the lead two minutes after that when Brian Idowu sidefooted home from the edge of the area to finish off a counter attack.
A superb goal by Iwobi completed the comeback in the 73rd minute as he collected the ball, slipped it between Javier Mascherano’s legs and fired past Agustin Marchesin.
Meanwhile at Cologne, Germany’s Lars Stindl scored a last-gasp equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw against France in a friendly on Tuesday as the world champion stretched its unbeaten run to 21 matches.
France twice led through Alexandre Lacazette, who netted either side of Timo Werner’s leveller, but Stindl struck in stoppage time to rescue the host.
World Cup host Russia showed fighting spirit at St. Petersburg to twice battle back from a goal down to draw 3-3 with Spain on Tuesday, ending a six-game winning streak for Julen Lopetegui’s visiting side.
Spain took control in the first half with a ninth-minute header from Jordi Alba and a fortuitous penalty for handball which defender Sergio Ramos coolly converted in the 35th.
Russia got back into the game with a brilliantly-worked team move finished off by striker Fedor Smolov four minutes before halftime.
Midfielder Alexei Miranchuk then ghosted in at the near post to equalise five minutes into the second half, although Spain quickly re-established its lead three minutes later thanks to another penalty scored by captain Ramos.
However, Russia hit back again with another lightning move, recovering the ball following a Spain throw-in and working the ball to Krasnodar striker Smolov who unleashed a deadly strike past helpless keeper David de Gea in the 70th.
Toothless Brazil flattered to deceive as the five-time world champion was held to frustrating 0-0 draw by a makeshift England side in a disappointing friendly at Wembley.
The results: International friendlies : Russia 3 (Smolov 41, 70, Al. Miranchuk 51) drew with Spain 3 (Alba 9, Ramos 35-pen, 53-pen); Argentina 2 (Banega 27, Aguero 36) lost to Nigeria 4 (Iheanacho 45, Iwobi 52, 73, Idowu 54); Qatar 1 (Muntari 90+2) drew with Iceland 1 (Kjartansson 26); Romania 0 lost to Netherlands 3 (Depay 47, Babel 56, de Jong 81); Belgium 1 (Lukaku 72) bt Japan 0; Germany 2 (Werner 56, Stindl 90+3) drew with France 2 (Lacazette 33, 71); Austria 2 (Sabitzer 5, Schaub 87) bt Uruguay 1 (Cavani 10); England 0 drew with Brazil 0; Wales 1 (Lawrence 75) drew with Panama 1 (Cooper 90+3); Hungary 1 (Nikolic 37) bt Costa Rica 0; Portugal 1 (Antunes 32) drew with United States 1 (McKennie 22) .
