Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle acknowledged that his team made some mistakes but maintained they were the better side on the pitch.
Nigeria’s hopes of World Cup qualification suffered another blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe, leaving them in fourth place in Group C with just seven points—six behind leaders South Africa.
“We made some mistakes, but we were the best team on the pitch. This is football. It’s difficult for me to analyze the game right now; we will review it later,” Chelle said during the post-match press conference.
Although Nigeria had taken the lead and pushed for a second goal, they failed to capitalize on their chances, allowing Zimbabwe to snatch a crucial equalizer late in the game.
Despite defensive lapses, Chelle refused to single out his defenders for blame, instead stressing that the entire team shared responsibility for the result.
With qualification hopes now hanging by a thread, Nigeria faces a challenging task to turn things around in their remaining fixtures if they are to secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
