Super Eagles: From joy to nightmares for Eric Chelle

Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle admitted he spent the closing stages on the touchline in real discomfort as the Super Eagles nearly let a dominant position slip in their 3-2 win over Tunisia at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025). What appeared to be a straightforward evening in Fez suddenly turned edgy, and the tension was not lost on the man in charge.

The Super Eagles had raced into a three-goal advantage, their movement and pressing pulling apart a Tunisian side renowned for organisation and discipline. The work looked complete midway through the second half, only for late lapses to breathe life back into the contest and leave Chelle visibly unsettled as his players battled to close it out.

The Malian tactician, tasked with leading the Super Eagles deep into the tournament, watched the game swing sharply inside the final quarter. A VAR penalty, a defensive switch-off and a nervous spell in front of goal created an uneasy ending to a match Nigeria had controlled for long spells.

Eric Chelle highlights belief in Super Eagles performance

Reflecting afterward, Eric Chelle did not hide how emotionally draining that spell felt. “Those final 15 or so minutes will give me nightmares,” he told RFI as quoted by Yahoo Sports. “I was going a little bit crazy about what was happening because the players deserved a big game. And it was a test against a big team like Tunisia.”

Before the scare, the Super Eagles had looked ruthless. Victor Osimhen struck first, Wilfred Ndidi powered in a header from a corner, and Ademola Lookman finished off a sweeping counter to make it 3-0. Tunisia fought back through Montassar Talbi’s header and Ali Abdi’s late penalty, forcing Nigeria to dig deep through stoppage time to see out the victory and secure progression.

Eric Chelle – “We played the best game in my little career as a coach in the first 75 minutes”
•#ericchelle #nigeria #supereagles #afcon2025 pic.twitter.com/mnWMYPyhBS

— Dr. Kelechi Anyikude (@KelechiAFC) December 28, 2025

Even with the late drama, Chelle preferred to focus on the broader picture and the authority Nigeria showed for most of the contest, especially given Tunisia’s formidable defensive record. “Tunisia didn’t let in one goal during the World Cup qualifiers,” he said.

“Three goals against this team! This is for me a great game. We kept the ball so well during 70 or so minutes.” The Super Eagles now turn attention to Uganda in their final group match, while Tunisia must respond against Tanzania to stay alive at AFCON 2025.