Chelle surprised by TotalEnergies CHAN intensity, urges Nigeria to bounce back
The result may have been disappointing for Nigeria, who returned to the competition after a four-year absence, but Chelle was quick to underline his admiration for the tournament's high tempo and quality—elements he admitted took him by surprise.
'I am surprised about the intensity,' Chelle said, reflecting on a match that showcased the technical levels of both teams. 'There are a lot of good teams and a lot of quality. I think the pitches are very good, allowing for fast-paced and technical football. This would be a great CHAN competition.'
Nigeria had missed out on the past two editions of the CHAN (2020 and 2022) despite previously strong showings in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
Now back in the fold, Chelle's side entered the match with high hopes but fell short against a well-drilled Senegalese team, who scored the decisive goal in the 75th minute.
The coach was forthright in his post-match analysis, describing the goal as 'self-inflicted' due to a defensive error and lamenting his side's lack of urgency, especially in the first half.
'Senegal deserved their victory because we just played 20 minutes in the second half,' he said. 'During the first half, I didn't recognize my team. Senegal was more aggressive than us, they put more intensity, and it's very normal for them to go ahead and win.'
While acknowledging his team's improved performance in the second half, Chelle stressed that short bursts of quality were not enough to win matches at this level.
'When we started playing, we created chances, kept the ball well, and showed glimpses of our attacking flair,' he said.
'But we need to be more ambitious and aggressive, to press higher up the pitch and win the ball back quickly.'
The defeat leaves Nigeria in a precarious position, needing a win in their second group game against Sudan to remain in contention for qualification.
Chelle emphasized the importance of a shift in mentality and a more proactive approach if his side is to bounce back.
'We need to change our state of mind,' he said. 'We need to be more aggressive, to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities. You simply can't win matches if you lose all duels, especially in the midfield. We created no chances in the first half. We cannot let that happen.'
Chelle's honesty extended to his own role in the result, as he accepted responsibility for the team's performance and pledged to rally his squad for the crucial clash ahead.
'I don't want to fault my players. I take responsibility,' he said. 'I must remind my players that this is football. We should have a warrior's mentality, to fight for every ball and never give up. I hope we win the second game.'
Despite the opening setback, Chelle remained optimistic about Nigeria's chances of advancing, pointing to the team's potential and the lessons learned from facing one of the tournament favourites.
'In the first presser, I said Senegal was the big team, and equally said we'll like to take it game after game,' he concluded. 'In a week's time, we need to win the second game if we want to give ourselves hope.'
As Nigeria prepares for their must-win tie against Sudan, Chelle's words echo the challenge ahead—not only to win, but to meet the intensity and standard already set by the competition's front-runners.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CAF
8 hours ago
- CAF
MATCH FACTS: Co-hosts Tanzania take on Madagascar in Group B
Co-hosts Tanzania will face Madagascar in a crucial TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 clash in Dar es Salaam on Saturday. Madagascar will face their 6th different team at CHAN, and Tanzania is their first East African opponent. This is Madagascar's first encounter against a CHAN host nation. Tanzania face a COSAFA member for the fourth time, with one win, one draw, and one loss in their previous three games. Previously, Tanzania drew 1-1 with Zambia in 2009, lost 2-0 to Zambia, and won 1-0 against Namibia in their first two group games at the 2020 edition. Madagascar are the 8th different nation Tanzania will face at CHAN and the first island nation they will meet. Madagascar – Key Facts · Drew their opening game against Mauritania 0-0. · Failed to win a group game for the first time, having won both group matches in 2022. · Their previous five CHAN games all produced a winner and goals. · Madagascar have never previously kept successive clean sheets. · Defeat will see them lose a group game at CHAN for the first time. · In their fifth CHAN game (against Mauritania), they kept their third clean sheet. · Their only previous second group game was a 3-0 win over Sudan in the last edition — their biggest win at the finals. · Had just 37% possession against Mauritania, their second-lowest at CHAN (previously 36.5% vs Ghana in 2022). · Made 269 accurate passes against Mauritania, while their opponents made 532. · Managed just one shot on target against Mauritania. Tanzania – Key Facts · Won their first two games, defeating Burkina Faso and Mauritania. · Have always won their second group game at CHAN. · Have never conceded a goal in their second group game, winning all three 1-0. · Extended their unbeaten run at CHAN finals to four games (W3 D1). · This is the first time Tanzania have won successive games at CHAN. · Have lost just one of their last seven CHAN games — a 2-0 loss to Zambia in 2020. · In all eight CHAN games involving Tanzania that produced a winner, the winning team kept a clean sheet. · Kept clean sheets in their first two games for the first time at CHAN. · Two clean sheets is the most Tanzania has kept in a single CHAN edition. · Have never won their third group game at CHAN; previous results were draws: 1-1 vs Zambia (2009) and 2-2 vs Guinea (2020). · Victory in this match will see Tanzania qualify for the knockout rounds at CHAN for the first time. · If they score, it will be their fourth goal of the tournament — their highest in a single edition (previously 2 in 2009 and 3 in 2020). · Attempted 508 passes against Mauritania, completing 410. · Ibrahim Hamad had 108 touches — the most by any player in the game — completed a game-high 81 passes, and won 15 duels. · Tanzania had 11 shots at goal against Mauritania, with three on target. · Shomari Kapombe scored Tanzania's goal against Mauritania, his first goal of the current finals. · All three Tanzanian goals have been scored by different players so far. · Kapombe scored with his only shot on target. · His goal was the latest Tanzania has ever scored in a CHAN match, coming in the 89th minute (previous latest was the 88th minute).
CAF
8 hours ago
- CAF
MATCH FACTS: Central African Republic, Mauritania clash at TotalEnergies CAF CHAN Pamoja 2024
Central African Republic (CAR) and Mauritania meet for the first time at the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a Group B clash in Dar es Salaam on Saturday. Central African Republic are playing their second game against West African opponents, having lost their first game against Burkina Faso 4-2. Mauritania face a tournament debutant for the third time, having lost both previous games against Burundi (3-2) and Guinea (1-0) in 2014 and 2018 respectively. Mauritania are playing their 12th game at the finals and face a 12th different team. This is Mauritania's third game against Central African opponents; they lost their previous two matches against Democratic Republic of the Congo (1-0) and Gabon (4-2) in group games in 2014. Central African Republic – Key Facts · Began with a 4-2 loss against Burkina Faso in their opening game. · Sydney Tchbinda scored CAR's first goal at CHAN, leveling the match 1-1 against Burkina Faso. · Ange Zoumara also scored, assisted by Nelson Ngaro — the first assist by a CAR player at CHAN. · CAR held 55.3% possession against Burkina Faso. · Cyril Boko completed 89.2% of his passes (32 of 37). · Churbin Basse made a game-high 7 clearances. · Melky Ndokomandji won four tackles, the most by any player in the game. Mauritania – Key Facts · Winless in their last three CHAN games (D1 L2). · Failed to score in their last three games, and in eight of their 11 CHAN appearances overall. · Have started without a win in their first two games for the third time (2014, 2018, and now). · If they fail to win, they will go through three group games winless for the third time, matching 2014 and 2018 when they lost all three. · Only one win in 11 CHAN finals games — a 2-0 group stage win over Mali in 2022 (D2 L8). · Their loss to Tanzania was their 8th at CHAN, 6th by a single goal, and 5th 1-0 defeat. · Their third group game record at CHAN: P3 W0 L3, losing to Gabon (4-2, 2018), Guinea (1-0, 2020), and Senegal (1-0, 2022). · Used just 14 players across the first two games; four players started both, nine featured in both. · Completed only 158 passes against Tanzania, down from 532 against Madagascar. · Had five shots (two on target) against Tanzania, compared to 11 shots (four on target) vs Madagascar. · Across both games, six shots on target but no goals scored.
CAF
8 hours ago
- CAF
CAR's Ngato express cautious optimism ahead of 'do-or-die' Mauritania clash
Published: Friday, 08 August 2025 Central African Republic's coach, Sébastien Ngato stated that his players expect a challenging game against Mauritania, but they have what it entails to deliver in their second group game of the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN). The encounter scheduled for 5pm on August 9 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium pits two teams in search of their first win in the competition - with the winner standing a chance of getting a spot in the knockout stages. Fresh from their 2-4 defeat in their first outing against Burkina Faso three days ago, Ngato highlighted the importance of the game, stating that his team will rectify their mistakes and come out all guns blazing to secure a win. "This is our second match, while it's the third for our opponent. If we don't win, it will be game over for us. We've discussed with the players to find solutions and up our game." Ngato described the game as a "tough battle" and stated, "The opponent has played one more match than us; they lost and drew. It will be a grueling confrontation, and we can't afford to make mistakes. If we lose, it will be catastrophic." For both teams avoiding an early exit from the historic TotalEnergies CHAN "PAMOJA" 2024 football frenzy is a need. So the Mauritanians are also keen on getting a result. Mauritania's coach, Artiz Garay Lopez, considers the match a "make-or-break" encounter, where victory would be a crucial step towards qualification for the knockout stages. Mauritania's Road to Qualification Narrowing Coach Lopez, stressed the importance of Saturday's showdown: "This is a very important match. We only have one point from our first two games. We played well against Tanzania, but without achieving a good result. This match will be do-or-die; our opponent lost their first game."The gaffer added, "This confrontation can open the door of qualification for us. We need to prepare well. Be physically and mentally ready to seal our fate." Lopez has his target fixed Garay Lopez indicated that his goal is to finish second in the group, considering Tanzania as the favorites for first place. "Analyzing the groups before the tournament, I said Tanzania is the favorite of Group B. So, we aim for second place and a spot in the knockout stages. He reiterated that the match against the Central African Republic is a real final for his players: "We want to play with calmness and no rush. The opponent is solid. It will be a final showdown for us." Mauritanian midfielder, Mohamed Lemine Houboutt declared that he and his mates have victory as the only objective. "We know the importance of this match. It will be decisive for our future in this tournament. We'll play with concentration, discipline, and calmness to emerge victorious."
