Following a 4-2 loss to hosts Morocco in the semi-final, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has maintained that Nigeria was well-prepared for the penalty shootout that concluded their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

After 120 minutes, Nigeria held the Atlas Lions to a goalless draw before two failed kicks proved costly in the penalty shootout. Chelle insisted that his team prepared properly despite the heartache.

“We worked in every training session on penalties, and the players who took the kicks were the best performers over the past month. That is why we selected them,” Chelle said.

Neil El Aynaoui of Morocco opened the shootout before Paul Onuachu of Nigeria equalised. Hamza Igamane’s shot was saved by Stanley Nwabali to keep Nigeria in the running, but Samuel Chukwueze was unable to convert the lead.

Ben Seghir and Achraf Hakimi helped Morocco recover control, and Yassine Bounou stopped Bruno Onyemaechi to guarantee the hosts’ spot in the championship game.

Explaining his tactical decisions, Chelle said, “Normally, we play a 4-4-2 diamond, and because I felt it was difficult to apply high pressure, I put Moses in midfield and Chukwueze on for the penalty situation.”

He also praised his players’ fighting spirit, saying, “The match was never easy, but the players showed a strong mental response and fought for every ball. Losing on penalties is very painful. It’s difficult because we worked hard throughout the entire tournament, but that’s football. We must continue working.”

Chelle admitted his team were not at their best technically, noting, “From a technical point of view, we were not at the same level we showed in other matches… we lacked movement and power.”

Nigeria will now play Egypt on Saturday in the third-place play-off as they pursue their first AFCON championship since 2013.

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