Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has praised his players for their resilience and determination following Nigeria’s 3-1 victory over Tanzania in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Nigeria defeated the Taifa Stars at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Friday night to revive their hopes of securing a place at the continental tournament.
The Super Eagles got off to a flying start, taking the lead in the second minute through Alhassan Yusuf.
However, Tanzania restored parity around the half-hour mark, with Alphonce Msanga finding the back of the net.
The Super Eagles stepped up their performance after the break, with substitute Tolu Arokodare scoring twice to seal an important victory for the hosts.
Super Eagles Get Plaudits For Second Half Display
Chelle attributed the win to his team’s improved second-half display and their ability to return to the game plan.
“I asked my players to press high, like they did in the first half. In the second half, we went back to the plan, and it worked,” Chelle told reporters.
“I’m happy for my players because they fought well. When you take the lead and allow your opponent to score, it is always difficult. They took advantage of the opportunity we gave them.
“You need to have the right mentality to come back and win a game. They did that, and I’m very happy for them.”
Chelle Explains Decision To Start Adams Ahead Of Arokodare
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Chelle also explained his decision to hand Akor Adams a starting role ahead of Arokodare, who eventually stole the spotlight with his second-half brace.
Despite failing to get on the scoresheet, Chelle praised the Venezia striker for his contribution to the team’s overall performance, although he admitted that Adams could have been more clinical in front of goal.
“Adams gave everything, but he had the opportunity to score maybe two or three goals today,” Chelle said.
“He ran a lot and gave everything for the group, but at the end of the day, he has to be better in terms of scoring goals.
“I’m happy with his performance because he worked for the team.
“The high press you saw came from him winning the ball back from the opponent and passing to Ade (Lookman), who then played Alhassan Yusuf through to score. Without him, we wouldn’t have won the ball. So, I’m happy with his performance.”
Attention Now On Tanzania Return Fixture
Following the crucial victory, Nigeria will now turn their attention to Tuesday’s Matchday Four encounter against Tanzania, with Chelle insisting that his players must maintain their focus and avoid repeating the mistakes that contributed to their previous away defeat.
The Super Eagles suffered a disappointing 3-0 loss to Guinea-Bissau in their previous away outing, and the coach wants his side to learn from that experience ahead of their next assignment.
“We played badly against Guinea-Bissau. We spoke to the players after the game, and our motivation was to bounce back. We played under pressure,” he explained.
“That’s football. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. When you lose, you have to correct your mistakes and focus on the next game.
“This victory is good, but it is important that we think about the next game, which we must also win.”
By Adeboye Amosu
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