Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has attributed his team’s failure to convert chances as the key reason behind their disappointing 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Tuesday night.
Despite dominating the early stages of the game, Nigeria struggled to find the back of the net, with Moses Simon and Victor Osimhen squandering opportunities.
Zimbabwe’s goalkeeper, Washington Arubi, also put in an impressive performance, making crucial saves to keep the hosts at bay.
Chelle lamented his team’s wastefulness in attack, insisting they had enough chances to seal the game early.
“What can I say about the first half? Normally, we could have scored ten goals in the first half. You make some mistake in the last technical skills and Zimbabwe comes to defend and stop the game,” he said after the match.
Osimhen eventually broke the deadlock in the 74th minute, but the Super Eagles failed to hold onto their lead, allowing substitute Chawanda Chirewa to snatch a late equalizer for the Warriors.
The Malian tactician expressed frustration over his team’s complacency after taking the lead.
“In the second half, when we scored the goal, we thought maybe it is finished. It’s tough, it’s hard because my players and my team were the better team on the pitch,” he added.
The result is a setback for Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes, as they continue their campaign in search of crucial points.
