Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has admitted that his team had been under “a lot of pressure” long before their 2–1 victory over Lesotho on Friday in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The win, which boosted Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the tournament to be hosted in North America, saw the return of key players, Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen and Al-Kholood defender William Troost-Ekong to the starting lineup.
Speaking during the post-match press conference, Chelle praised his players’ resilience and expressed delight at securing the much-needed victory.
“Today we are happy because we won. We are still alive. I am happy for my players and I want to congratulate them,” he said.
“Perhaps we have felt the pressure since March. Every time my players, whenever we meet, they tell me they feel the pressure, because for Nigeria, we need to travel and we need to go to the World Cup. There is a lot of pressure, and this is the reality.”
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Chelle added that the players deserved a moment of relief after their hard-fought win.
READ ALSO: Highlights: Super Eagles’ 2-1 Edge Over Lesotho Revives World Cup Hope
“So now, maybe they will take some hours of cool after this win, and I’m happy for that. Playing in this game is not the same as regular football. In the first half, because we were under pressure, technically, sometimes we miss some things, and it is difficult to come on the pitch, because there is a lot of tension, but I am so proud of my guys, and I told them.”
Echoing his coach’s sentiments, team captain William Troost-Ekong described the match as a difficult contest, crediting Lesotho for their strong performance.
“I also want to start by saying that Lesotho played a great game, and we knew that from the start. I can understand the disappointment and frustration because they put up a very good fight. These kinds of games are never easy, and the Coach said that already. The pressure has been on us since March at the start of the Qualifiers,” Troost-Ekong said.
Looking ahead, he reaffirmed the team’s determination to reach the World Cup. “Now, we just want to focus on ourselves. We want to be better always because we have a team of guys who want to be winners and want to be at the World Cup.”
