Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has highlighted three specific players who performed exceptionally during Nigeria’s grueling Africa Cup of Nations semifinal against Morocco. The January 14 encounter saw the host nation advance to the final via a penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes. While the Super Eagles adopted a heavy defensive posture and recorded a tournament-low two shots, Chelle maintains that certain individuals prevented a much heavier defeat in Rabat.
During a detailed interview on RMC Sport’s After Foot, Chelle responded to praise for Calvin Bassey’s dominant central defensive performance by identifying the crucial contributions of his fullbacks. He argued that while stars like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman lacked service due to midfield congestion, the defensive unit remained resolute under immense pressure. Chelle specifically credited the discipline of his wide defenders for keeping the match competitive until the final whistle.
“Calvin, you have the left-back Bruno Onyemaechi, who was playing really well,” Chelle said. “You have the right-back Bright, who was also very impressive. These players might have lost the game, but they tried their best and put in all their effort. The question was if I should follow the original plan or try making some changes and see what happens. But I wasn’t sure that waiting would stop us from giving up two or three goals.”
The tactician also described the overwhelming atmosphere at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, which he believes impacted the team’s ability to maintain their tactical shape. He noted that the intensity of the home crowd created a chaotic environment unlike any he had previously experienced. Despite the result, CAF officials later recognized the quality of Nigeria’s defensive core by naming Bassey to the official Team of the Tournament alongside Lookman and Osimhen.
“The stadium was packed with fans, it was really chaotic,” Chelle said. “I had never seen a match like that before; it was just amazing. I wasn’t sure that holding back would prevent more pain, so we decided to push forward. But if you watch the game, after fifteen minutes, we weren’t able to press effectively.”
