Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has explained his decision to introduce Samuel Chukwueze specifically for the penalty shootout in Nigeria’s semi-final defeat to Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria crashed out of the tournament on Wednesday after losing 4-2 on penalties to the host nation following a goalless draw that lasted 120 minutes.
The match went to penalties after neither side could find a breakthrough in regulation time and extra time. However, misses from Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi proved costly as Morocco converted four of their spot-kicks to book a place in the final.
Chukwueze was brought on deep into extra time with the shootout in mind, but his only involvement ended up being a missed penalty. The substitution sparked heavy criticism from Nigerian fans on social media, many of whom questioned the coach’s tactical decision.
READ ALSO: My Future as Super Eagles Coach is in NFF’s Hands – Chelle
Addressing the backlash at the post-match press conference, Chelle defended his choice, insisting it was based on careful analysis.
Read Also
The coach revealed that Chukwueze had been one of the most reliable penalty takers during training sessions, explaining that his decision was guided by “statistics”.
He further stated that every player selected to take penalties for Nigeria in the shootout had been among the “best” performers from the spot during practice.
Despite the painful exit, Chelle maintained that his decisions were made in the best interest of the team and based on available data, rather than emotion.
“I put Chukwueze for the penalty session because we did work in all training sessions for the penalties,” the coach said.
“With the statistics, the guys who kicked penalties were the best during the warm-ups; that is why we have these guys on the pitch.”
In November 2025, penalty shootouts cost Nigeria its ticket to the 2026 World Cup. The Eagles lost 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in the final of the African playoffs for the World Cup.
