Chelle speaks on Super Eagles’ penalty mentality as Nigeria face Jamaica in Unity Cup final

Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle says his Super Eagles side are fully prepared to defend their Unity Cup crown when they face Jamaica in Saturday’s final in London, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Super Eagles booked their place in the final after beating Zimbabwe 2-0 in the semi-final, while Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz defeated India by the same scoreline to set up another meeting between the two sides.

It will be a repeat of last year’s dramatic Unity Cup final, when Nigeria defeated Jamaica on penalties after an entertaining 2-2 draw in regulation time.

On that occasion, Moses Simon gave the Super Eagles an early lead before Kaheim Dixon brought Jamaica level. Samuel Chukwueze restored Nigeria’s advantage shortly after the restart, but Jon Russell equalised again for the Reggae Boyz to force the game into penalties.

Nigeria converted all five spot-kicks in the shootout, while Dwayne Atkinson missed Jamaica’s decisive penalty as the Super Eagles lifted the trophy.

The West Africans are now aiming to win the competition for a second consecutive year and continue their strong record in knockout football.

Although Simon and Chukwueze are not part of this year’s squad, Chelle’s team still impressed in the semi-final victory over Zimbabwe. Debutant Femi Azeez scored both goals and produced one of the standout performances of the tournament so far.

Jamaica also arrive at the final in good form after goals from Courtney Clarke and Kaheim Dixon secured a comfortable win over India.

Chelle insists Super Eagles are ready for every situation

Nigeria have developed a mixed reputation for handling pressure situations in recent months, especially in penalty shootouts during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign. The Super Eagles lost on penalties to AFCON hosts Morocco in the semifinals before beating Egypt via shootout in the third-place playoffs.

Ahead of Saturday’s final in London, Chelle was asked if his players were ready for another tense shootout against a Jamaican side boosted by a Manchester United lad.

“Penalties are part of the game, and they can decide who wins a match. Every time I go into a game, I have the mentality to win,” Chelle said.

“This is the culture I have put in these boys, the winning culture. I don’t know if Saturday’s game will end in penalties; what I know is that I have prepared my team to win.

“These are very young players with a bright future and they are hungry for success at any level. So, on Saturday, we will see how the game is decided, but we surely have prepared to win and defend the Unity Cup.”

Victory in London would hand Chelle his second trophy as Super Eagles manager since taking charge of the national team, following last year’s triumph in the same competition.

It would also strengthen Nigeria’s dominance in the Unity Cup and provide another confidence boost ahead of the country’s upcoming international assignments later in the year.

Nigeria have been grouped with co-host Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar in the qualifying series for the 2027 AFCON.