Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle admitted that his team made mistakes in their 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe but maintained that they were the better side on the pitch.
The disappointing result has further complicated Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Super Eagles now sit fourth in Group C with only seven points, trailing group leaders South Africa by six points.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Chelle expressed his frustration but remained confident in his team’s performance.
“We made some mistakes, we were the best team on the pitch. This is football. It is difficult for me to analyze the game right now; we will review it later,” he stated.
Nigeria had taken the lead and looked in control of the match, but a series of missed chances allowed Zimbabwe to find an equalizer. The team struggled to convert key opportunities that could have secured all three points.
Despite concerns over defensive errors, Chelle refused to place the blame on any particular department, instead noting that the entire squad must take responsibility.
“I don’t want to blame the defenders,” he said, acknowledging that mistakes were made across the team.
With only a few games left in the qualifiers, Nigeria’s path to the World Cup is becoming increasingly difficult. The team will now have to win their remaining matches and hope other results go in their favor to stand a chance of making it to the tournament.
