Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has voiced his dissatisfaction with his team’s performance following their 1-0 defeat to defending champions Senegal in their opening match at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The Group D clash, played Tuesday at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, saw Christian Kobi score the decisive goal for Senegal in the 75th minute, handing Nigeria an early setback in the tournament.
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Speaking to reporters after the match, Chelle did not hold back in his criticism, citing a lack of aggression and mental sharpness from his side, who struggled to make an impact throughout the contest.
“We need to improve our state of mind. We need to be more competitive and, once again, be more aggressive,” Chelle said.
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Nigeria, runners-up in 2018 and bronze medalists in 2014, have had a patchy record in the CHAN—a competition reserved exclusively for players based in their home country’s domestic leagues. Tuesday’s loss has only intensified the pressure on Chelle’s squad, who now face a must-win scenario to remain in contention for a knockout spot.
In a game in which both sides managed just one shot on target each, Nigeria dominated possession but lacked cutting-edge, failing to create any real goal threat, especially in the first half.
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“This is the first match. We have two more games, but we need to change our state of mind. We can’t play football if we lose every duel during the game,” Chelle declared. “In the first half, we created no chance to score, so we need to be more aggressive.”
Next up for Nigeria is a crucial encounter against Sudan, also at the Amaan Stadium on Tuesday, 12 August.
Sudan were held to a 1-1 draw by Congo in the group’s opening fixture, making the Super Eagles’ next outing even more decisive.
“We will see, for the games against Sudan and Congo, if we will play same way. If we are scared about some things, we will go back to Nigeria,” Chelle warned.
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