CHAN: Chelle blames Senegal defeat on team’s lack of intensity
Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, has pointed to his team’s lack of intensity as the key reason behind their 1-0 defeat to Senegal in the Group C opener of the ongoing 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN). While the loss was a setback for Nigeria in their return to the tournament after a four-year absence, Chelle […]
Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, has pointed to his team’s lack of intensity as the key reason behind their 1-0 defeat to Senegal in the Group C opener of the ongoing 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
While the loss was a setback for Nigeria in their return to the tournament after a four-year absence, Chelle took time to applaud the overall quality and pace of the competition.
He noted that the level of play and competitiveness on display exceeded his expectations, especially against a well-organised Senegalese side.
Despite the disappointment, Chelle acknowledged that CHAN 2024 is shaping up to be a high-standard tournament that offers a valuable platform for showcasing top-level football talent across the continent.
“I am surprised about the intensity,” he admitted. “There are a lot of good teams and a lot of quality. I think the pitches are very good, allowing for fast-paced and technical football. This would be a great CHAN competition.”
Nigeria, making their first appearance since 2018, were undone by a 75th-minute goal that Chelle described as “self-inflicted,” stemming from a defensive lapse. He was particularly critical of his team’s sluggish first-half display.
“Senegal deserved their victory because we just played 20 minutes in the second half,” he said. “During the first half, I didn’t recognize my team. Senegal was more aggressive than us, they put more intensity, and it’s very normal for them to go ahead and win.”
Chelle acknowledged that Nigeria improved after the break, showing flashes of attacking intent.
“When we started playing, we created chances, kept the ball well, and showed glimpses of our attacking flair,” he noted.
“But we need to be more ambitious and aggressive, to press higher up the pitch and win the ball back quickly.”
Looking ahead to their must-win clash against Sudan, Chelle stressed the need for a sharper mentality and a stronger physical presence.
“We need to change our state of mind,” he urged. “We need to be more aggressive, to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities. You simply can’t win matches if you lose all duels, especially in the midfield. We created no chances in the first half. We cannot let that happen.”
The coach also accepted full responsibility for the performance, while calling on his players to adopt a more determined approach.
“I don’t want to fault my players. I take responsibility,” Chelle said. “I must remind my players that this is football. We should have a warrior’s mentality, to fight for every ball and never give up. I hope we win the second game.”
Despite the loss, Chelle remained hopeful that Nigeria can still progress from the group stage.
“In the first presser, I said Senegal was the big team, and equally said we’ll like to take it game after game,” he concluded. “In a week’s time, we need to win the second game if we want to give ourselves hope.”
Nigeria will now face Sudan in their second CHAN game next Tuesday.