Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has explained the factors behind Nigeria’s loss to Morocco in the semi-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria bowed out of the competition on Wednesday night after falling 4–2 on penalties to the host nation, following a goalless draw after regulation time and extra time.
Speaking during his post-match press conference, Chelle acknowledged that his side struggled physically and tactically against the Atlas Lions, particularly in terms of movement and intensity.
“We approached the game with high pressing because if you don’t press, you leave spaces and the situation becomes very complicated,” Chelle said.
“From a technical point of view, the Super Eagles were not at the same level we showed in our previous matches.
“I don’t want to attribute it entirely to fatigue, but the reality is that we lacked movement and power.”
Morocco’s victory secured them a place in the final, while Nigeria will now turn attention to the third-place playoff.
