Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle was proud of the overall team display after they took another step towards qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 4-1 win over Gabon on Thursday.
The match which took place at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Morocco ended with the Super Eagles claiming their spot in the final of the CAF playoff for next year’s tournament.
The three-time African champions dominated majority of the clash, but were only denied by impressive goalkeeping from the Gabon goalkeeper in the first half.
The Panthers were denied a penalty in the second half after the center referee waved off appeals despite reviewing the incident on the screen.
“I’m very proud of these guys because every time, they stay focused on what I ask and what I want — and they show it on the pitch”, Chelle said after the match.
Once again, the word for today was passion. During the team talk, it was about passion, working together, and having the same mindset. They did it.
“But the reality is that this is nothing yet, because in two days we have another game. Maybe after the second game, we will go home with a smile”, he added.
Akor Adams opened the scoring late in the second half, but Gabon grabbed their own goal, scoring through Mario Lemina’s deflected effort.
Victor Osimhen missed the chance to win it for Nigeria when he wasted an effort in stoppage time, sending the match into extra-time.
Chidera Ejuke then put the Super Eagles back in front, before Osimhen scored two more goals to send Nigeria into the final.
“I don’t want to talk about what happened before. Since I came, we’ve tried to work and create an identity”, Chelle added.
“We always talk about the game — the sport project. The sport project is very important, and the game model too.
“The most important thing for a team is to create an identity: how you play in defence and how you play in attack. That’s why we try to improve every time, in every FIFA window.”
Nigeria will face the Democratic Republic of Congo, who defeated Cameroon 1-0 in the other semifinal, in the final match on Sunday.
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.
