Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has opened up on the penalty that Samuel Chukwueze missed during penalty kicks where they were beaten 2-4 by Morocco in the semi final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi missed from the spot during the shoot outs, but it is the miss from Chukwueze that has drawn the most criticism owing to the manner, which he walked up to the ball and also executed the kick.

He has been the target of several online attacks and trolls, with many questioning why he was allowed to be a part of the penalty takers for the team at such a crucial time in a high intense game.

Chelle while responding revealed that the Fulham winger is one of the best penalty takers in the team, and said the miss is probably due to the pressure of the game and also the venue.

“Samuel Chukwueze is the best penalty taker of the team, he never misses in training, maybe out of 400 but the feeling to take for every player was different, maybe the crowd. I think if we play the penalties in Uyo, Abuja or Lagos, we win for sure”, he said in the pre match conference ahead of tomorrow’s third place playoff.

He went further to say he has plans of bringing in new players to the Super Eagles, if he is allowed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to remain as the coach of the team. “If God gives me the chance to be the coach after the after the AFCON, I’ll love to bring in more players for the team”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The future of Eric Chelle as the head of the senior national team of Nigeria has been made by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) according to a chieftain of the football body, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Chelle was handed a mandate to get the team to the final of the AFCON, but the team failed to meet it after crashing out in the semi final following a 2-4 loss on penalties to the host Morocco, after both teams remained locked at 0-0 after extra time.

Talks about the future of the coach was as expected a hot topic in the post match conference after the game, and the coach openly said his future is in the hands of the NFF who will in the coming days make their position clear on his future.

” A decision has been made already and it will be forwarded to the National Sports Commission (NSC) , who have been picking up the bills of his salary for the past one year that he is here as coach”, a chieftain of the NFF said.

” Not meeting the target of reaching the final of the AFCON is a huge blow no doubt, but we also have to look at the circumstances surrounding their failure to make it to the final. Less emotion is needed because it’s a very sensitive decision which will shape or destroy the future of our football”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The father of new Brentford signing Kaye Furo says he already has the national team that his son who recently signed for English Premier League side Brentford will play for at senior international level, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Furo Iyenemi who was a part of the Nigerian team to the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations , playing every game up until the final defeat against Cameroon is the father of Kaye who just joined the English Premier League side from Club Brugge of Belgium.

Born in Antwerp, Kaye has already represented Belgium at various youth levels, but still remains eligible to play for Nigeria at senior level leading to talks of the 18 year old following in the footsteps of his father.

However his father in an interview with OmaSports last year revealed that when it’s time for his son to make a decision on his senior international future, he won’t be happy for his son to experience the same poor treatment he endured while playing for Nigeria.

“When the time comes, he has to make the decision. But as they say, it won’t be good for the oven’s child to enter the frying pot. Let me simplify it: my child shouldn’t suffer what I suffered. The way I was mistreated, the same should not happen to my son.”

He went further to elaborate his decision, apparently referring to how he was abandoned by Nigeria, when he picked up an injury while on international duty with the U23 team at the 2000 Olympics.

“If you get injured while playing for the country and you were abandoned, and you found a way in Europe, and your son was also called up, will he play? When it comes to the kids, let them decide when the time comes and do what favours them. But be careful—don’t follow my footsteps. Try to be wise and smart,” the former Antwerp defender stated.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The last has not been heard about the protest by Nigeria against DR Congo for fielding ineligible players in the world cup qualifiers playoff, where they defeated Nigeria to pick the ticket to represent Africa at the continental playoff in Mexico next year.

Nigeria protested that players of DR Congo played in the game while holding nationality of another country, which is against the constitution of the country that doesn’t recognise dual citizenship.

They queried how the players were able to get the passport that was used to clear them to play for the country, hence should be declared ineligible to play and the match in question be awarded to Nigeria.

Defending their act, Dr Congo argued that the players have sporting eligibility due to their Congolese roots hence free to play for them. However a spokesman of FIFA has given an insight into their claims.

” We recognise national laws before sporting laws. All passports must be gotten legally, meaning using national laws because it is international football. Without such restrictions you will have teams give passports to mercenaries to play for them”, he said in a chat with a US based Nigerian journalist who was at the AFCON.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle will make major changes to the starting lineup of the Nigerian team for tomorrow’s third place team against Egypt in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria failed to match their feat of getting to the final at the last AFCON, after losing 4-2 on penalties to the host Morocco in the semi final, a game marred by poor officiating. They will now settle for the third place playoff against Egypt.

Chelle will as usual pick a very competitive team in his bid to earn his team a podium finish, but will also hand game time and opportunities to fringe players in the team. Despite the changes, the Super Eagles are favourites for the match with the online betting sites. 1xbet have Nigeria with odds of 2.16 (46% chance of winning), whilst Egypt are 3.92 (25%). .

Per what we exclusively gathered, only five of the players who started the semi final against Morocco will keep their spot in the starting lineup, with changes in goal, midfield, defence and attack.

The game is billed for 5pm Nigerian time.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen has given reasons why the team failed to beat Morocco in the semi final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria lost 2-4 to the host on penalties after both teams remained tied at 0-0 after extra time. Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi missed their spot kicks during the shoot out handing Morocco the win.

A dejected Osimhen spoke about the defeat afterwards lamenting the difficulty they faced in building any form of momentum during the course of the game, which lasted for 120 minutes.

I have to say I’m extremely proud of this squad – the previous one and also this one – because it shows that we are one of the best footballing nations in Africa,” said Osimhen.

“It’s disappointing not to get to the final – we wanted it really bad because we’ve been working so hard from the disappointment of not reaching the World Cup, and now this.

“I think, of course, we just have to keep it moving and I think there is more and greater things to come from this squad.”

Speaking on how Morocco were able to keep them at bay despite their attack which is the best in the tournament with 14 goals, Osimhen the attack of both teams were easily contained by the defence during the game.

“They are also good tactically, and I think nothing clicked for them either – they got their moments too, just like we had our moments, but their defence and ours were always alert,” he defended.

“Their strikers didn’t get any ball or didn’t play that much, and we also struggled to pass through them, but when you play with this kind of team, you expect it to be very tough.

“So, for me, I think it’s not about the forwards being up there [getting the job done] but for us to get to the penalties, that’s why I say, football happens and it’s a game of luck, so we just have to keep it moving.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Not a good game by the Eagles as they were expected to.

Previously smoking Eagles would have settled the game in regulation time but gladly gave up the tempo of the game to the hot, fiery Moroccans.

The Lions from the Atlas showed they were more interested in advancing to the final than the Eagles who were super from West Africa and naturally, the hungrier team prevailed.

The first few minutes got the Eagles imposing their usual dominating selves on the hosts but suddenly gave up that advantage to resort to sitting back.

Well organized defence got them containing all the pressures and keeping the efforts away for the 120 minutes in regulation time and extra time.

Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali had his best tail up in this crucial encounter where his last-man-defence posture kept the rampaging Lions at bay.

Captain Wilfred Ndidi sitting out the all-important game due to card suspension was clearly missed as the Eagles’ midfield was run over by the North Africans.

Ndidi’s replacement Club Brugge star Raphael Onyedika had a night to remember, nightmarish and very uneventful. All his foot wrong in the game he was supposed to make fans forget Ndidi as he would personally rank this game as one of his worst ever.

His yellow card was a full testament he was lost in the game and his eventual substitution would leave him to take a huge stock of himself in the nightmare of a game.

Iwobi’s creative ideas went south, the Moroccan refused to leave him a nanosecond to think and act. Even before the ball got to him, a searching Moroccan leg was lurking to redirect the round leather.

Alex Iwobi lost his staff of office in the midfield, touches were dangerously few and practically no chance for him to lay his killer passes to Osimhen and company. When he did, the Moroccan crowd gladly intercepted the efforts to put the struggling Eagles back in their toes again and again.

Supplies were also non-existent to the attacking line that incredibly was reduced to very poor two shots at goal.

Victor Osimhen fought aimlessly as well Ademola Lookman and Jerome Akor Adams to edge the resolute Lions’ defence but very little supplies condemned them to chasing shadows.

Not even the fast breaks, quick counters Eagles evidently relied on as they gladly gave up the control of the game to the Lions, worked anything to Eagles’ favour. The well organized Moroccan “Air Force” was solidly behind their detailed plans.

Bassey’s accurate attacking-spiced long balls were mostly received by Bright Osayi-Samuel and Akor but the rampaging Lions closed up to make the efforts come to nought.

Lookman didn’t enjoy the rampant Moroccan swoop and the result of it was the Atalanta man dried up with his creativity, Osihmen also suffered it.

Spilling into the extra time, the game didn’t change for the Eagles, the Lions rampaged through but were gamely contained by Bassey and the defence consortium.

The hosts fought frantically not to let the game go into the lottery of penalties as their body languages suggested they were disadvantaged.

Eagles kept their pressure soaking machines running to hope on the lotteries but that was not to be.

When late, late substitute Samuel Chukwueze spurned his chance with a careless kick, Moroccans breathed themselves a fresh life by converting and restoring parity after an earlier Nwabali save.

Bruno Onyemaechi who had chased out top scorer Brahim Diaz out of the game, put a stain on his superb performance by shooting straight into keeper Bono’s hand.

The last kick wasn’t saved by Nwabali but saved the hosts’ blushes to reach the final for the first time in 22 years.

IKENWA ASHIBUOGWU NNABUOGOR