Eric Chelle Targets Another Win As Super Eagles Face Jordan In Turkey

Head coach Eric Chelle is confident the Nigeria national football team can secure another victory when they take on the Jordan national football team in an international friendly in Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday.

The optimism follows Nigeria’s 2-1 win over Iran national football team on Friday at Corendon Airlines Park, where Moses Simon opened the scoring early in the first half before Akor Adams added the second shortly after the restart.

Despite the departures of defenders Semi Ajayi and Bruno Onyemaechi, Chelle remains upbeat, insisting the 21 players available are capable of delivering another positive result. The team rounded off preparations with a training session on Monday evening.

Jordan, however, are expected to provide a stern test. Ranked 64th in the world, Al-Nashama have evolved into a competitive side, losing just one of their last five matches—a narrow 3-2 defeat to Morocco national football team.

They have also recorded impressive wins over Saudi Arabia national football team, Iraq national football team and Egypt national football team, while playing out a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica national football team in their last outing.

Chelle is expected to make defensive adjustments, with Igoh Ogbu likely to get a new central defensive partner, while Zaidu Sanusi could replace Onyemaechi at left-back. Bright Osayi-Samuel is set to continue at right-back.

In midfield, Alex Iwobi, who is closing in on his 100th cap, is expected to combine with captain Wilfred Ndidi, alongside one of Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru or Raphael Onyedika.

Upfront, Simon could again lead the attack, supported by options including Samuel Chukwueze, Adams and Ademola Lookman, while Paul Onuachu, Chidera Ejuke, Philip Otele and Collins Yira Sor are also available.

The Super Eagles head into the encounter unbeaten in regulation time in their last five matches, including victories over Algeria, Mozambique and Iran.

Historically, both teams have met twice at senior level, with honours even. Nigeria won 2-0 in Lagos in 2004, while Jordan secured a 1-0 victory in Amman in 2013.

Meanwhile, new invitee Emmanuel Oluwasegun Fernandez has expressed delight at his call-up, describing it as a dream opportunity to represent Nigeria at the highest level.

With preparations intensifying ahead of major competitions, Tuesday’s clash offers another opportunity for Chelle to assess his squad and build momentum.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

See Full Bio