Chelle defends Chukwueze after penalty miss in AFCON 2025 quarter-final loss
Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle defended Samuel Chukwueze for his missed penalty in Nigeria's 4-2 shootout defeat to Morocco in the AFCON 2025 quarter-final. The game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, with Chukwueze's tame effort saved by Morocco's Yassine Bounou. Left-back Bruno Onyemaechi also missed for Nigeria.
Chelle insists Chukwueze is the team's best penalty taker, noting he 'never misses in training, maybe out of 400' attempts. The coach attributed the miss to pressure, suggesting the atmosphere played a role. "Maybe the crowd," Chelle said. "I think if we play the penalties in Uyo, Abuja or Lagos, we win for sure."
Nigeria now faces the third-place match. The team reportedly earned $2.5m for reaching the quarter-finals, despite the loss. Chelle has vowed to overhaul the squad for the next tournament.