Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has called for improvement from his players despite Nigeria’s 2–1 victory over Tanzania in their opening match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking after the game, Chelle admitted that while the win was important, the performance still left room for growth. The Malian tactician noted that Nigeria created several clear-cut chances, especially in the first half, but failed to convert many of them.
We invested a lot of good things to create chances to score, and we had many opportunities in the first half,” Chelle said. “In the second half, however, we allowed Tanzania to come back into the game because we made two mistakes.
The coach stressed that AFCON is a tournament where teams must improve with every outing, adding that a detailed post-match analysis would be carried out immediately.
We are happy with the three points, but the most important thing at AFCON is to improve in every game. After our analysis tonight or tomorrow morning, we must continue to get better, he added.
Looking ahead, Chelle highlighted the need for defensive solidity and better movement both on and off the ball as the Super Eagles prepare for a tougher test against Tunisia.
Our next game against Tunisia will be a big one because they are a strong team. We must improve defensively and add more movement when we have the ball and when we don’t, he said.
Despite his demands, Chelle praised his players for securing all three points, while insisting that the team remains focused on the work ahead.
I congratulate my players for the win, but we still have a lot of work to do,” the coach concluded.
After Tunisia’s 3–1 victory over Uganda, the Super Eagles will face a strong Tunisian side in their next Group Stage match on 27th December 2025
