By Sport Analyst
Emmanuel Afonja
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has defended his decision to bring on Samuel Chukwueze specifically for Nigeria’s penalty shootout against Morocco, saying the choice was driven by training performance and statistical assessment.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the Africa Cup of Nations final ended on Wednesday after a 4–2 penalty shootout defeat to hosts Morocco. The semifinal clash remained goalless after regulation time and extra time, before misses from Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi handed the advantage to the Atlas Lions.
Chukwueze was introduced late in extra time and did not take part in open play, with his sole contribution being his missed spot kick. The move triggered heavy criticism from Nigerian fans online, many questioning the wisdom of substituting a player on solely for penalties.
Responding to the backlash during his post-match press conference, Chelle said the decision was carefully planned and supported by data gathered during training sessions.
“I brought on Chukwueze for the penalty shootout because we worked extensively on penalties in training,” the coach explained. “Based on our statistics, the players who took penalties were the most consistent and successful during practice and warm-up sessions. That is why they were on the pitch.”
Chelle stressed that every player selected to take a penalty ranked among the team’s most reliable performers in training, insisting that the outcome did not invalidate the process behind the decision.
The defeat has once again stirred painful memories for Nigerian supporters, as penalty shootouts have recently dashed the country’s major ambitions. In November 2025, the Super Eagles also lost 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo in the final of the African playoffs, a result that denied Nigeria qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
