Franco-Malian coach Eric Sekou Chelle appeared to acknowledge tactical and substitution errors in the Super Eagles’ frustrating 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe’s Warriors during their FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 6 clash in Uyo on Tuesday.
In a tense encounter for Nigerian fans, Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen put the Super Eagles ahead in the 74th minute with a powerful header. However, Zimbabwe salvaged a point in stoppage time when Tawanda Chirewa slotted past goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali from a tight angle.
A dejected Chelle admitted in his post-match conference that he had instructed the Super Eagles to keep attacking for more goals rather than protect their lead, even after substituting star striker Osimhen for Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface.
“We tried to score many goals, and after we scored, I told my players to continue trying to score another goal,” the 41-year-old Chelle who suffered similar hear-break with Mali at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations when the Eagles surrendered their 71st 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 with two late goals in the 90th and 122nd minutes to the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire , told reporters after the game in Uyo. “We were a little tired. We need ten seconds to analyse this goal because we made a small mistake to concede the goal.
“This is how we conceded against Rwanda here. This goal determined the result of the match.”
Tuesday’s was Chelle’s second game in charge of the Super Eagles after he opened his account with an impressive 2-0 win against Rwanda away in Kigali last Friday.
But he reckoned that there were still some positives from the pulsating 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe, adding he needs time to whip the Super Eagles into a formidable force.
He noted: “My job is to analyse this game, and I think the team improved. The team improved in intensity and aggressivity with the ball. They made fast attacks. They made long possession of the ball. This is football. We’ve seen lots of games like that.
“Maybe I need some time, too; maybe not. But I think we deserved to win this game.”
Yet he slammed the players’ wastefulness in front of the goalpost especially in the first stanza of the ill-fated match.
“Normally, we can score maybe ten goals in the first half,” he further said.“ When we score a goal in the second half, we think that maybe it’s finished. It is tough because my players were the best on the pitch.
“I’m so disappointed for my players and for the country,” he added.
After six rounds of matches, the Super Eagles sit in fourth place in Group C with seven points. They trail South Africa (13 points), Rwanda (8 points), and Benin (8 points). Lesotho follows in fifth with six points, while Zimbabwe occupies the bottom spot with four points.
