Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle has shifted his focus firmly to Sunday’s playoff final against the DR Congo after an extra-time thrashing of Gabon.
He emphasized improvements in the team’s overall play and a growing new identity built on fighting spirit.
The Malian tactician made his remarks following a hard-fought 4–1 victory over Gabon in extra time, a result that propelled Nigeria into the decisive showdown.
The win not only secured their progression but also highlighted the squad’s tactical evolution under Chelle’s guidance.
“I don’t want to talk about what happened before, inside the camp,” Chelle said.
“Since I came, we’ve tried to work, we’ve tried to create an identity. We talk all the time about the game project. The most important thing for our team is to create an identity. And the identity is how you play in defense and how you play in offense.”
Chelle stressed the challenges of limited preparation time, noting that FIFA windows often allow only “two or three training sessions.” Despite this, he praised his players’ mental and technical growth.
“So now this group, these guys, they are improving mentally and technically, and they understand what I want from them. They need time, but the reality is we don’t have much because we have only one or two games. Maybe after the second game, we will be able to smile.”
Reflecting on the Gabon clash, Chelle admitted the match extended beyond expectations, but he praised his side’s dominance in the opening half.
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“We didn’t think the game would go into extra time, but I analyzed the first half. For 30 minutes, we were very good with ball possession, intensity, and aggressiveness. Gabon tried to play on the counter, but we managed it well.”
With the Democratic Republic of Congo awaiting in the final, Nigeria aims to cap a successful campaign and secure a spot in the next phase of World Cup qualifiers.
