We need to be ready for Zimbabwe — Chelle
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has warned his team to maintain their focus ahead of Tuesday’s crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, NewsNGR Sports Extra reports.
“We need to be ready for the next game. I prefer to focus on my team rather than discussing weaknesses. My priority is analysing and improving our own play,” Chelle said following Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali on Friday.
The 47-year-old Malian, who was appointed in January to lead the three-time African champions, made a winning start to his tenure thanks to a first-half brace from Victor Osimhen, which secured all three points in the important Group C encounter.
While celebrating the victory, Chelle emphasised the need for continuous improvement as the Eagles continue their quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after a poor start to the campaign.
“I’m proud of my players—congratulations to them. But we have work to do. This was just the first game, and while I’m happy with the win, we must keep improving,” he added.
The tactician showcased his flexibility throughout the match in Kigali, starting with a 4-2-3-1 formation that featured Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi in midfield, while Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, and Osimhen spearheaded the attack.
As the game progressed, he made strategic adjustments, introducing Raphael Onyedika for Chukwueze and later bringing on Alhassan Yusuf to replace the injured Bright Osayi-Samuel.
“We have a team with strengths and weaknesses, and my job is to shape the game plan accordingly,” Chelle explained. “I want my players to understand that we can play in different ways. Today, we used two or three different systems.”
Despite having limited time with the squad, the former Mali coach expressed satisfaction with how quickly the players adapted to his methods.
“It was a very difficult game because Rwanda have a strong team and a good coach. But we also played very well. I’m very happy and proud of my players, my staff, and the Nigerian people,” he said.
“We only had one week and two training sessions to prepare, but we shared a lot of information. We had a clear game plan and the players followed it perfectly. So, I believe this win was deserved.”
The victory lifted Nigeria to fourth place in Group C with six points from five matches, trailing South Africa (10 points), Benin (eight points), and Rwanda (seven points).
With the Zimbabwe match representing another must-win fixture for the Super Eagles, Chelle knows that any slip-up could seriously damage their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
