The Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has justified his choice to introduce Samuel Chukwueze for the penalty shootout against Morocco.
Nigeria were eliminated on Wednesday after losing 4-2 on penalties to Morocco, missing out on a place in the final of the continental competition.
The encounter finished goalless after 120 minutes, with missed spot-kicks from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi proving decisive in the shootout defeat.
Chukwueze was introduced late in extra time and did not feature significantly in open play, with his missed penalty being his sole impact. The decision sparked criticism from many Nigerians on social media, who questioned Chelle’s substitution.
Addressing the issue during the post-match press conference, Chelle explained that Chukwueze ranked among the strongest penalty takers in training, noting that his decision was guided by “statistics”.
He further stated that every Super Eagles player selected to take a penalty in the shootout had been among the “best” performers during practice sessions.
“I put Chukwueze for the penalty session because we did work in all training sessions for the penalties,” the coach said.
“With the statistics, the guys who kicked penalties were the best during the warm-ups; that is why we have these guys on the pitch.”
It is worth recalling that Nigeria also suffered penalty shootout heartbreak in November 2025, when the Super Eagles lost 4-3 to DR Congo in the final of the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.