Nigeria coach Eric Chelle has said his team deserved to beat Zimbabwe in a must-win 2026 World Cup Group C football qualifier, but tired towards the end to allow the visitors to snatch a late draw on Tuesday night.
Striker, Victor Osimhen scored with a diving header in the 74th minute, for the second game running to give the Super Eagles the lead after so much pressure on the Zimbabwean goal.
However, the Warriors battled their way back to draw level in the closing minutes of the match.
"It was hard for us because we made a great first half with lots of intensity and aggression and so may be the players were a little tired," Chelle said in a post-match media briefing.
"This was why maybe we needed a second goal.
"It's difficult to analyse this match now because we deserved to win it."
Chelle felt his team deserved to win because they played well in the first 45 minutes only to concede the equalising goal in the 90th minute.
"I thought we will score goals in the first half and win the match. We made some mistakes, and Zimbabwe equalised.
"We had a lot of chances to score goals, but the chances were not utilised well," Chelle said.
Chelle lamented Nigeria's wastefulness in front of goal, particularly in the first half, in which they failed to capitalise on clear-cut chances.
He insisted the Super Eagles could have secured a comfortable lead early on but lacked the finishing touch.
"What can I say about the first half? Normally, we could have scored 10 goals in the first half. You make some mistake in the last technical skills and Zimbabwe comes to defend and stop the game," Chelle said.
Chelle assured Nigerians that he will analyse the match and strategise for future games to qualify for the World Cup.
While disappointed with the draw, he was not sure if he needed time to sort out his team. The result has led to several reactions from fans, who were optimistic about getting a World Cup ticket ahead of the game.
After the game, Chelle was asked what the next step was going forward, looking at the chances to go for the World Cup, becoming slimmer and slimmer.
He said, as shared on X, "My job is to analyse this game. And I think the team improved. In intensity and aggressiveness with the ball. They made a fast-attack, they made a long-position ball.
"They deserved to win, so. This is football, this. We saw a lot of games like that. So maybe I need some time too. Maybe, maybe not. But I think that again. We deserve to win this game."
The Super Eagles are now fourth in Group C with seven points from six matches, six points adrift of leaders South Africa.
The qualifying tournament resumes in September.
Chelle has also defended his decision to play Ademola Lookman out of position against Zimbabwe.
Lookman had a difficult time and was unable to impose himself on the game in the Super Eagles' draw.
The Atalanta star played a key role in Nigeria's 2-0 victory over Rwanda last Friday, but was nowhere to be found against Zimbabwe.
The Super Eagles had to depend on Osimhen, who went on to score the opening goal late in the second half, but his goal was not enough to get Nigeria the win.
Chelle defended his decision on Lookman.
"Maybe now we say the choice was not good, but if we win, we say the choice was good."
Lookman, who recently won the CAF African Best Player Award, was paired behind Osimhen in a 4-4-2 formation.
However, he was swallowed by the physical presence of the Zimbabwe defenders and was not given any breathing space to make use of the ball.
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With the game ending in a draw, the Super Eagles have their work cut out as they face a difficult task in securing a World Cup ticket.
And Super Eagles stars Alex Iwobi and Ola Aina have turned their attention to God following their disappointment with the draw.
Aina and Iwobi posted on social media to reassure Nigerian football fans that the team's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains on track.
Fulham star Iwobi shared an encouraging message on his Snapchat story, as shared on X to uplift disheartened fans, "We'll make [the] World Cup in the mighty name of Jesus."
Aina, the Nottingham Forest fullback, followed suit shortly after, posting a similar message on his Snapchat story, as shared on X, to reassure fans, "We will make this WC."
The players were trying to boost the morale of Nigerian fans, many of whom were disappointed by the team's late collapse against Zimbabwe. - soccernetng.
