Chelle praises Flying Eagles’ second-half response in win over Togo

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has praised Nigeria’s improved second-half performance after the Flying Eagles secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Togo in their second Group B match at the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire.

Chelle watched the match from the Lycee Scientifique Stadium, where he was supporting the Under-20 side and assessing emerging players as part of his long-term plans for Nigeria’s national teams.

The 48-year-old said Nigeria had struggled during the opening period because Togo were comfortable in possession and posed a significant test.

“I feel the game was good. But the first half was difficult for Nigeria because Togo have a good team. They started playing with the ball, and it was difficult for us,” Chelle told DagaShotz.

The former Mali coach was particularly pleased with the changes made by Flying Eagles head coach Abdu Maikaba at half-time. Chelle said the decision to push the team’s press higher up the pitch changed the direction of the match and allowed Nigeria to take control.

“In the second half, I think the coach asked the boys to press the team higher, and that’s what they did. They played well. They played very well in the second half,” he said.

Nigeria’s increased intensity after the interval helped the Flying Eagles regain possession in dangerous areas and create the opportunities that led to their three goals.

“They put a lot of pressure on the team, and they won the ball back high up the pitch. That’s why they scored many goals, because they created a lot of chances.”

Chelle said the second-half display had given him encouragement and added that he hoped to return to the tournament venue for Nigeria’s next match.

“So I was happy with what I saw in the second half. I just came to greet them, to support them, and I hope I will be here for the third game to watch them,” he stated.

The Super Eagles manager also underlined the importance of the Under-17 and Under-20 teams to the future of Nigerian football. He described the two age-group sides as the starting point of the national-team development process.

“The beginning of the project is the Under-17 and the Under-20 teams. So we have to start working with these two national teams because, as I said, this is the first step,” Chelle explained.

Chelle said another key part of his role was to identify talented players early and ensure they remained within the national-team scouting system. He explained that tracking players becomes more difficult once they move to Europe, where they may be spread across different clubs and countries.

“My job is to try to find and scout some players because, after that, when they go to Europe, it’s difficult to continue watching them. There are so many clubs and so many countries. So I prefer to put them directly into the database and continue following them,” he said.

The coach had already visited the Flying Eagles’ training camp in Abuja before the tournament and said he had developed a strong connection with the squad. He recalled telling the players that he was their “first fan” and said the victory made him particularly pleased.

“But I’m happy to see all these boys because, when they were in Abuja, I went to watch some of their training sessions. I told them, ‘Now I’m your first fan.’ So I was happy to see them and to see this victory,” he revealed.

Wale Adejumo