Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has revealed what Nigeria must do to overcome Algeria in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinal clash scheduled for Saturday at the Marrakech Stadium.
Nigeria head into the quarterfinals in impressive form, having won all four of their matches in the tournament, scoring 12 goals and conceding just four. Algeria have also enjoyed a flawless run, winning every game and conceding only one goal so far.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, the Malian tactician said the key to victory lies in Nigeria scoring more goals than their opponents while exploiting Algeria’s weaknesses.
“To win the game, we need to score goals. We analyse the game and look for the opponent’s weaknesses,” Chelle said.
“We tell our players that we can go through that door. It’s always the same approach, just like the Algerian coach will do with his team.”
Chelle stressed that beyond tactics, the players’ mental strength would play a crucial role in such a high-stakes encounter.
“Of course, we focus on Algeria’s weaknesses, but this is a quarterfinal in a major competition. The mental state and mindset are very important. You have to handle the pressure, deal with the opponent and follow the coach’s instructions,” he added.
The Super Eagles coach also highlighted the importance of consistent hard work in training, noting that preparation has been central to the team’s success so far.
“We try to give maximum effort every day and in every training session. That’s why I always talk about training whenever I’m asked,” Chelle said.
A victory for Nigeria on Saturday would be seen by many as sweet revenge, following the Desert Warriors’ semifinal win over the Super Eagles at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
