Chelle defends Super Eagles after penalty loss to Morocco
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has insisted that Nigeria were well-prepared for the penalty shoot-out that ended their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, following a 4–2 loss to hosts Morocco in the semi-final.
Chelle explains penalty strategy, defends player selection
Nigeria held the Atlas Lions to a goalless draw after 120 minutes before the match was decided from the spot, where two missed kicks proved costly. Despite the heartbreak, Chelle maintained that his team did everything right in preparation.
“We worked in every training session on penalties, and the players who took the kicks were the best performers over the past month. That is why we selected them,” Chelle said.
The shoot-out began with Morocco’s Neil El Aynaoui scoring, before Paul Onuachu equalised for Nigeria.
Stanley Nwabali kept Nigeria in contention by saving Hamza Igamane’s attempt, but Samuel Chukwueze failed to convert the advantage.
Morocco regained control through Ben Seghir and Achraf Hakimi, while Yassine Bounou denied Bruno Onyemaechi to seal the hosts’ place in the final.
Explaining his tactical decisions, Chelle said, “Normally, we play a 4-4-2 diamond, and because I felt it was difficult to apply high pressure, I put Moses in midfield and Chukwueze on for the penalty situation.”
Super Eagles turn attention to Egypt third-place play-off
He also praised his players’ fighting spirit, saying, “The match was never easy, but the players showed a strong mental response and fought for every ball. Losing on penalties is very painful. It’s difficult because we worked hard throughout the entire tournament, but that’s football. We must continue working.”
Chelle admitted his team were not at their best technically, noting, “From a technical point of view, we were not at the same level we showed in other matches… we lacked movement and power.”
Nigeria will now face Egypt in the third-place play-off on Saturday, as they continue their search for a first AFCON title since 2013.
