Nigeria 4-0 Mozambique: Eric Chelle breaks silence on Lookman, Osimhen on-field saga

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has addressed the on-field clash between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman during Nigeria’s 4-0 AFCON win over Mozambique.

Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has downplayed concerns following a brief on-field disagreement between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman during the Super Eagles’ emphatic 4-0 victory over Mozambique in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations fixture on Monday.

The Super Eagles delivered a dominant performance, with Osimhen scoring twice, while Lookman and Akor Adams also found the back of the net to seal a comfortable win.

Lookman, Osimhen on-field saga

Despite the convincing scoreline, a moment of tension occurred in the 64th minute with Nigeria already 3-0 ahead. Osimhen appeared visibly frustrated and confronted Lookman inside the Mozambique penalty area after feeling he was in a better position to receive a pass during a promising attack.

Moments later, the Galatasaray striker gestured toward the bench and was substituted for Moses Simon, sparking speculation among fans and pundits.

What Chelle said

Addressing the incident during his post-match press conference, Chelle was firm in his stance, making it clear that the matter would not be discussed publicly.

“This is a question about my management, and what happened on the pitch will stay in the group. I don’t need to tell anyone what happened,” Chelle said.

He added, “I keep that for me, and everything that happened in the group stays in the group. We will see after that, and we will talk.”

While pleased with the result, Chelle warned against complacency and stressed the need for continued focus as the tournament progresses.

“I’m happy about this game, winning by four goals, but in reality, we didn’t do anything special; we just won one game. If we want to be ambitious, we need to continue to improve and keep this quality on the pitch,” he added.