Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has pointed to two specific 2026 World Cup qualifying fixtures that ultimately doomed Nigeria’s campaign and sealed their failure to qualify for the tournament.
Speaking with Riadh Belaïche, Chelle singled out the home match against Zimbabwe and the away fixture against South Africa as the critical turning points.
Nigeria could only manage draws in both encounters, a setback compounded by a subsequent loss to DR Congo in the African play-off final.
As a result, the Eagles missed out on the World Cup for the second consecutive tournament.
Reflecting on the missed opportunities, Chelle explained how victory slipped through their fingers.
“It’s true that in some matches, like against Zimbabwe, we drew at home while the match was in our hands,” Chelle said. “In the end, these two dropped points hurt us a lot. We also drew in South Africa.”
