In shock, Eric Chelle tries to justify the Super Eagles' failure against Zimbabwe

The head coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, expressed his deep disappointment following the 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe on the 6th day of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. This result seriously jeopardizes Nigeria's chances of qualification.

In the match played in Uyo this Tuesday, March 25, Victor Osimhen opened the scoring in the 74th minute with a precise cross from Ola Aina. However, a defensive error at the end of the match allowed Tawanda Chirewa to equalize for Zimbabwe in the 90th minute. A bitter failure for the Super Eagles who thus miss out on securing 2nd place in Group C. In a state of total shock, the Nigerian coach faced the press conference after the match.

"In the first half, we had the chance to score 10 goals. Zimbabwe came to defend, my players were the best on the pitch with possession play and quick attacks. I think in the last 10 minutes, it was difficult for us because we played well in the first half with a lot of intensity, so maybe the players were a bit tired. We played in a diamond formation and created many goal opportunities. This system is demanding and requires a lot of energy, that's why we had Ademola on the left side as well as on the other side. After our goal, it became difficult for Victor, so I made another change. I didn't want to put a defender. You could say that maybe this choice wasn't good, but if we had won, it would be said that it was the right choice," said Eric Chelle.

This new underperformance puts the Super Eagles in a delicate position for the rest of the qualifiers. Nigeria remains in 4th place in Group C with seven points, six points behind the South African leader.

Lydiane N'Po |

Editorfr, en

Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.