‘No Room for Mediocrity’ — Head Coach Eric Chelle Slams Super Eagles’ Wastefulness Despite 2-1 Opening Win Over Tanzania

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has delivered a sobering assessment of his team’s performance following their 2-1 victory over Tanzania, insisting that Nigeria must “drastically improve” if they hope to secure a fourth continental title.

The three-time African champions began their Morocco 2025 journey on Tuesday evening, December 23, 2025, with a win that looked far more comfortable on paper than it was on the pitch. While goals from defender Semi Ajayi and winger Ademola Lookman ensured a winning start, the Super Eagles were frequently caught off-guard by a resilient Tanzanian side that exploited gaps in the Nigerian midfield.

Addressing the media in a post-match briefing today, Wednesday, December 24, 2025, Chelle refused to sugarcoat the display. “I congratulate the players for the three points, but we must be honest with ourselves—this was not a championship-winning performance,” Chelle stated. “We were dominant in the first half but became complacent in the second. At the AFCON level, you cannot give teams like Tanzania the ‘oxygen’ to come back into the game.”

The coach specifically highlighted a lack of clinical finishing as a major concern. Star striker Victor Osimhen and Sevilla’s Akor Adams both missed clear-cut opportunities that could have put the game out of reach before halftime. “We created enough chances to win by four or five goals. Instead, we made two defensive mistakes and found ourselves under pressure in the final ten minutes,” Chelle added.

Technical analysts observed that Chelle’s preferred 4-4-2 diamond formation struggled to provide enough width, often leaving the full-backs isolated against Tanzanian counter-attacks. The coach acknowledged these tactical hitches, noting that the technical crew would conduct an immediate review of the tapes to address “off-the-ball movement and defensive transitions.”

The victory places Nigeria in a strong position in Group C, but they currently trail Tunisia on goal difference. With a massive showdown against the North Africans looming this Saturday, the pressure is on Chelle to fix the cracks in the Super Eagles’ foundation.

“Tunisia are a big team with a high tactical IQ,” the coach warned. “If we play with the same level of wastefulness we showed today, the result will be very different. Our goal is steady improvement; we cannot afford to stand still.”