Nigeria's head coach, Eric Chelle, has defended his pre-match assertions about his team's readiness, insisting he was not bluffing despite a painful penalty shootout loss to Morocco in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
The Super Eagles' journey for a fourth continental crown came to an end in Rabat on Wednesday night after they were defeated 4-2 on penalties following a goalless 120 minutes of play.
Missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a tough break, and the Super Eagles also missed a huge chance to grab a fourth AFCON title with that loss.
The Super Eagles will play for the bronze medal, where they will face Egypt in the third-place playoff.
Chelle defends performance
In his post-match analysis, Chelle conceded that his squad was lacking in several key areas against the tournament hosts.
"We missed a lot of things: the intensity, the technicality, the movement," the coach admitted while evaluating his team's performance against the Atlas Lions.
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https://www.pulsesports.ng/football/story/we-fought-for-every-ball-chelle-defends-super-eagles-performance-following-defeat-to-morocco-2026011510332651332
The Super Eagles' journey for a fourth continental crown came to an end in Rabat on Wednesday night after they were defeated 4-2 on penalties following a goalless 120 minutes of play.
Missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a tough break, and the Super Eagles also missed a huge chance to grab a fourth AFCON title with that loss.
The Super Eagles will play for the bronze medal, where they will face Egypt in the third-place playoff.
Chelle defends performance
In his post-match analysis, Chelle conceded that his squad was lacking in several key areas against the tournament hosts.
"We missed a lot of things: the intensity, the technicality, the movement," the coach admitted while evaluating his team's performance against the Atlas Lions.
FOLLOW THIS LINK TO READ FULL STORY:
https://www.pulsesports.ng/football/story/we-fought-for-every-ball-chelle-defends-super-eagles-performance-following-defeat-to-morocco-2026011510332651332