CHAN Eagles Will Play for Pride Against Congo – Chelle

Nigeria’s Super Eagles B, popularly known as the CHAN Eagles, may be out of the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in East Africa, but head coach Eric Sekou Chelle insists his team will fight for pride when they face Congo today in their final Group B fixture.

The Eagles have already been eliminated after back-to-back defeats — a 1-0 loss to Senegal and a heavy 4-0 defeat to Sudan — conceding five goals in total. Despite the disappointment, Chelle says today’s encounter at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, presents an opportunity to correct mistakes and end the campaign on a better note.

“We have lost two games and we need to make some changes against Congo,” Chelle said during the pre-match press conference on Sunday.

The Franco-Malian coach expressed regret over the team’s poor showing, noting that defensive lapses had cost them dearly. “We gave away five goals in this tournament because of too many mistakes. Mentally it has been tough, but we must try to take something positive from the last game,” he added.

Chelle urged his players to remain focused and professional despite the disappointment of an early exit. “Tomorrow is a chance to forget our errors and show our quality. This is the time for the players to demonstrate what they are capable of,” he said.

Nigeria’s clash with Congo may not affect their qualification hopes, but Chelle believes it is an important test of character and resilience for his squad.