Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle shared his honest thoughts after the 1-1 friendly draw against Russia in Moscow, expressing pride in his team’s effort while also highlighting a significant challenge they faced.
This match was an important test as the Super Eagles prepare for upcoming qualifiers, and Chelle sees valuable lessons from the experience, Footballrover reports.
Eric Chelle pinpoints the Super Eagles’ problem
Chelle started by praising the Russian team, calling them “great”. He noted their good technique and strong pressing game throughout the match.
“The whole game was interesting, and, in my opinion, a draw is a fair result in such a difficult match,” he added.
He also enjoyed the stadium atmosphere and thanked everyone for the chance to play there.
The game was tough, as Eric Chelle admitted, with both teams creating chances.
But stressed that the Super Eagles’ problem of dealing with pressure needs to be addressed.
“We will make changes; we will work on playing under pressure because this problem has already arisen in the last three matches,” he explained.
This was very clear in the second half when Russia’s pressing left the Super Eagles with little of the ball.
Solving the Super Eagles’ pressing puzzle
This “pressing problem” is something Eric Chelle is determined to fix.
He noted that learning to handle strong opponent pressing is crucial. And looking at his past results, the Super Eagles have shown mixed performances:
Rwanda 0-2 Nigeria
Nigeria 1-1 Zimbabwe
Nigeria 2-1 Ghana
Nigeria 2-2 Jamaica (Won 5-4 via penalties)
Russia 1-1 Nigeria
The 1-1 draw with Russia is a good result, and Chelle believes it’s a chance for the team to learn and get better.
He is focused on helping the Nigerian side adapt and improve from this experience as they look towards future games, especially the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.