Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has acknowledged Nigeria’s dramatic late wobble against Tunisia, describing the final stages of the match as an unusual collapse that must be addressed going forward.
Nigeria appeared firmly in control at the Stade de Fes after racing into a 3–0 lead through goals from Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi and Ademola Lookman. However, Tunisia mounted a late comeback, with Montassar Talbi scoring in the 74th minute before Ali Abdi converted a penalty late on to reduce the deficit to 3–2.
Despite the scare, the Super Eagles held on for victory, a result that secured qualification to the knockout stage ahead of their final group game against Uganda.
Speaking after the match, Chelle admitted the closing minutes were unsettling, saying the players deserved a more comfortable finish after dominating for much of the contest. He noted that scoring three goals against a Tunisia side that had been defensively solid in recent qualifiers underlined the team’s quality.
The News Chronicle understands that the technical crew views the late pressure as a learning moment rather than a setback, with internal reviews already focused on game management and substitutions.
Chelle also played down criticism of his tactical changes, insisting the team cannot sustain intense pressure for a full 90 minutes. He added that Tunisia’s response highlighted areas for improvement and could help sharpen focus ahead of the Uganda clash.
The win also carried symbolic weight, coming as payback for Nigeria’s elimination by Tunisia at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.
