Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle commended his side’s display after Nigeria withstood a late push from Tunisia to secure an entertaining 3-2 win in Fez on Saturday night, sealing qualification for the round of 16 at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, according to The PUNCH.
Nigeria appeared to be cruising after surging into a dominant 3-0 lead, inspired by Ademola Lookman, who provided two assists and capped his performance with a fine left-footed goal in the 66th minute.
Speaking after the match, Chelle highlighted the high tempo his players maintained for much of the encounter. He expressed satisfaction with the team’s ability to regain possession both high up the field and in deeper areas, which allowed them to transition swiftly into attack while also controlling the ball for extended periods.
“I’m happy, once again, with the intensity we showed for 75 minutes. I’m pleased with how we recovered the ball both very high up the pitch and very deep. We were able to move forward quickly, but also to keep possession for long periods of the game,” he noted.
“We created a lot of chances and opportunities to score. In the second half, up until the 75th minute, we deserved this victory.”
The Nigerian coach admitted that Tunisia’s late resurgence tested his team, describing it as typical of the North African side’s fighting spirit.
“We deserved it because we were the better team. After that, Tunisia played with the energy that characterises them. Their first goal came from a set piece, and the second from a moment of play.
“But once again, we deserved this win, and I think we were the better team in every area of the game. Of course, it would be nice to finish a match without having to suffer so much,” he added.
Victor Osimhen had given Nigeria the lead just before the break, powering home a header from Lookman’s accurate cross, while skipper Wilfred Ndidi extended the advantage shortly after halftime with another header from a Lookman corner.
Tunisia mounted a late fightback, as Montassar Talbi nodded in Hannibal Mejbri’s free-kick in the 75th minute to spark hope. That belief grew when VAR awarded a penalty ten minutes later, calmly dispatched by Ali Abdi, making for a tense finale. Nigeria held on, however, with Ferjani Sassi narrowly missing a stoppage-time header, as Chelle’s men preserved their perfect record and stayed top of Group C on six points.
Following the victory, Nigeria have now booked their place in the knockout phase and will take on Uganda in their final group fixture in Fez next Tuesday.