This Article Was Last Updated: July 5, 2026 by Oseg Hale
Eric Chelle left the field at Rabat with much more than a convincing scoreline of 4-1. Nigeria needed extra time to finish the job. Akor Adams opened the scoring, and Chidera Ejuke doubled the tally, while Victor Osimhen ended the evening with the kind of ruthless finish that is his trademark.
Chelle said he was proud of his players for staying focused and showing his ideas on the pitch. “The word for today was passion,” he said, stressing how much he wanted them to work together with one mindset. He felt they delivered, but reminded everyone that “this is nothing yet”, with another match in two days.
He explained that he does not want to revisit what happened before his arrival. Since taking charge, the aim has been to build a clear identity. “The most important thing for a team is to create an identity,” he said, noting that FIFA windows often give them only a handful of sessions. Even so, he believes the group has moved forward. “These guys have improved mentally and technically, and they understand what I want to do with them.”
Nigeria have just two days to reset before facing DR Congo in the play-off final. Chelle will have to plan without Wilfred Ndidi, while others risk suspension.
