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By Joe Apu
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has urged his players to improve their performance in the closing stages of matches, despite Nigeria’s 3–2 victory over Tunisia at the ongoing AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
Speaking after the encounter, Chelle expressed satisfaction with the result and the team’s overall display, noting that the Super Eagles showed clear progress compared to their previous outing. However, he stressed that lapses in concentration, especially in the final 15 minutes, remain an area of concern.
“I’m very happy because we won and because the team continues to improve with every game,” Chelle said. “The first game was good. In this second game, we improved, even though there were still some good things and some bad things.”
The coach revealed that Nigeria dominated possession and controlled proceedings for most of the match, pointing out that the Super Eagles were the better side until late in the game.
“At half-time we had about 70 per cent possession, and until the 75th minute we were the best team on the pitch,” he stated.
“The team deserved this victory and I am very proud of my players.”
Chelle, however, emphasized the need for better game management towards the end, admitting that sustaining high-intensity pressing throughout the full 90 minutes is unrealistic.
“My dream is to have a team that can press high for 90 minutes, but that is impossible,” he said. “Seventy-five minutes is good, but we must improve how we manage the last 15 minutes.”
While acknowledging that some mistakes—particularly from set pieces—persisted, the Super Eagles coach remained optimistic about his side’s progress as the tournament continues, insisting that the team is moving in the right direction and fully deserved the win.
The Super Eagles will on Tuesday face the Cranes of Uganda in their last Group C game at 5:00 pm local time. Tunisia will also take on Tanzania at the same time.
