National Teams
“It’s simply my fault” — Eric Chelle accepts responsibility for Nigeria’s CHAN ouster
By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has taken full responsibility for the Super Eagles B team’s humiliating 4–0 defeat to Sudan in their second group match at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Zanzibar.
The result confirmed Nigeria’s early exit from the tournament, having also lost their opening match 1–0 to Senegal. Two goals in each half saw Sudan dominate a disjointed and error-prone Nigerian side, whose defensive lapses proved costly.
Speaking to ACLSports during the post-match press conference, Chelle admitted that his tactical setup failed and directly contributed to the team’s downfall.
“The game started, and after 20 minutes, we committed a lot of mistakes. Four goals, four mistakes — for me, it’s simply our fault,” the former Mali national team boss said.
Chelle expressed disappointment that the team’s training performances did not translate onto the pitch, suggesting a disconnect between preparation and execution.
“This wasn’t the best game of the players’ lives. During the training sessions, we were good,” he explained.
“But the reality is that we didn’t prepare for the mistakes. Watch the goals again — it’s difficult.”
The Super Eagles will now play their final Group D match against Congo, a dead rubber fixture following their elimination. The result marks one of Nigeria’s worst outings in CHAN history, raising serious questions about the team’s direction and preparation.
