Despite the loss, Chelle praised the quality of the Amani Stadium, which allowed for slick play and showcased both teams technical prowess.
Nigeria, on the back of a four-year hiatus from the CHAN missed out on consecutive tournaments between 2020-2022, following previous successful qualifications attempts outings in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
We put up a good show, but Senegal picked their moments, Chelle said after the match, highlighting the importance of clinical finishing in football. I think Senegal deserved their victory because we just played 20 minutes in the second half. During the first half, I didnt recognize my team. Senegal was more aggressive than us, they put more intensity, and its very normal for them to go ahead and win.
Chelle attributed the goal conceded in the 75th minute to a self-inflicted mistake, a defensive error that ultimately proved costly. We gave away the goal through a mistake. It is normal, because we never got into the game fully, maybe mentally. When we started playing, we created chances, kept the ball well, and showed glimpses of our attacking flair. This is football. We need to be more ambitious and aggressive, to press higher up the pitch and win the ball back quickly.
Looking ahead to the next match against Sudan, Chelle emphasized the need for a change in mindset and a more proactive approach. We need to change our state of mind. We need to be more aggressive, to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities. You simply cant win matches if you lose all duels, especially in the midfield. We created no chances in the first half. We cannot let that happen.
Despite the loss, Chelle remains optimistic about his teams chances of qualifying from the group, knowing that a strong performance against Sudan could give them a lifeline. In the first presser, I said Senegal was the big team, and equally said well like to take it game after game. In a weeks time, we need to win the second game if we want to give ourselves hope.
Chelle took responsibility for the loss, acknowledging that his team needs to improve their mentality and approach to the game. I dont want to fault my players. I take responsibility. I must remind my players that this is football. We should have a warriors mentality, to fight for every ball and never give up. I hope we win the second game.
In analyzing the competition, Chelle was impressed by the quality and intensity of the teams, highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament. There are a lot of good teams and intensity. There is a lot of quality too. I think the pitches are very good, allowing for fast-paced and technical football. I am surprised about the intensity, which is a testament to the competitions greatness. This would be a great CHAN competition. For us, we would see what to change in the second game, to regroup and come back stronger.