AFCON: CHELLE ON WHY CHUKWUEZE TOOK THE PENALTIES AGAINST MOROCCO
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By: Fasasi Hammad
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has defended his choice to introduce Samuel Chukwueze for Nigeria’s penalty shootout against Morocco, saying the decision was guided by training performance and statistical data.
Nigeria fell short of reaching the final on Wednesday, losing 4-2 on penalties to the host nation after a goalless 120 minutes. Misses from Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi proved costly in the shootout.
Chukwueze was brought on late in extra time and did not participate in open play, with his sole involvement coming during the missed penalty. The substitution drew criticism from Nigerian fans on social media, many questioning Chelle’s judgment.
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At his post-match press conference, Chelle explained that Chukwueze’s inclusion was based on his penalty record during training.
“I put Chukwueze in for the penalty session because we worked on penalties in every training session,” Chelle said. “According to the statistics, the players who took the penalties were the most reliable during warm-ups. That is why they were chosen to take them on the pitch.”
Chelle emphasized that all Super Eagles players selected for the shootout were among the team’s top performers in practice.
The defeat reignited painful memories for Nigerian fans, as penalty shootouts have recently derailed major qualification hopes. In November 2025, Nigeria lost 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in the African playoffs final, a result that denied the Super Eagles a spot at the 2026 World Cup.
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