Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has warned the team against complacency after their impressive 2-0 win over Rwanda on Friday.
The former Mali coach was in the dugout for the first time in charge of the three-time African champions, as they kept their World cup hopes alive with a much-needed victory over the Amavubi.
Victor Osimhen scored twice in the first half as Nigeria sealed out a comfortable result on the night to move up to fourth on the Group C standings, four points behind South Africa in first place.
Speaking after the match, the former MC Oran head coach was impressed with the overall performance but demanded for more from his players ahead of their Tuesday’s encounter against Zimbabwe.
“It was a difficult game, Rwanda has a great team. I am proud of my players’ performance. We work a lot within a few days. We had just two full training sessions and kept the ball in the second half, good performance from my guys (players),” Chelle said.
“It is my joy to set up the system, we tried two different systems in the team. We need to improve, it is the first game and we are going back to work for the second game.”
Chelle’s main task is to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and after a winning start to his tenure, the 47-year old remains focused on achieving exceptional results.
“Every player in the team can play, we need to work together and achieve the goal of qualifying for the World Cup. We have great players. Today, the team was good, my job is to make the decisions, decide on the system and personality,” he added.
With their victory at the Amahoro stadium behind them, Nigeria will now turn their attention to Tuesday’s match against Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio international stadium in Uyo.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
