Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has explained the reason behind his decision to substitute star striker Victor Osimhen just moments before Nigeria’s painful penalty shootout loss to Morocco.
Oimhen was replaced by Paul Onuachu in the dying minutes of extra time, as Nigeria went on to lose 4-2 to Morocco on penalties after a cagey and goalless 120 minutes.
The move sparked immediate debate among fans who expected the 2023 CAF Player of the Year to lead the charge from the spot.
While Osimhen is clearly the star player with four goals to his name, Chelle revealed that a fitness issue forced his hand at the most critical moment of the match
Chelle explains Osimhen substitution against Morocco
Addressing reporters after the final whistle, Chelle disclosed that Osimhen had reached his physical limit.
“Victor had a small injury to his ankle and that’s why we brought in Paul, who statistically was one of the best shooters of this period,” the coach explained.
“Since the beginning of this Africa Cup of Nations, every day at every training session we have done penalty sessions and statistically the players who took the penalties were the best,” Chelle added, defending his decision to prioritise fresh legs and penalty specialists over tired starters.
While Onuachu did his job, misses from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyeamaechi ultimately sealed Nigeria’s fate.
The Super Eagles now face a quick turnaround for the third-place playoff against Egypt this Saturday.