AFCON 2025: Chelle must fix it to win trophy — Ex-Super Eagles star identifies weak spot

Despite a perfect start to their campaign in Morocco, defeating Tanzania and Tunisia in their opening two games, the Super Eagles’ backline has looked vulnerable.

Nigeria opened Group C with a narrow 2-1 victory over Tanzania, where a lapse in concentration allowed Charles M’Mombwa to equalise before Ademola Lookman found the winner.

This was followed by a frantic Saturday night in Fès, where the defence was breached twice in a 3-2 win against Tunisia.

While goals from Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman secured the points, late strikes from Montassar Talbi and Ali Abdi exposed significant cracks in the Nigerian rearguard.

Kenneth Omeruo, who was part of the Nigerian team that won AFCON 2013, speaking as an analyst on Afrosports, insisted that a solid foundation is essential for tournament success.

“The defence is still porous, and we must stop conceding,” Omeruo observed.

“It is something the coach must work on in subsequent games. The attack we know is solid, but we can’t keep on conceding goals like we have done so far.”

The Super Eagles round up Group C with a clash against Uganda, but qualification is already guaranteed, allowing coach Chelle to potentially rest some star names.

The minimum for the Super Eagles and Nigerians in general is another run to the final, and on the evidence of the first two games, the attacking firepower is not in doubt. However, Omeruo's warnings about the defence must be taken seriously as the 2013 winners move into more difficult territory in the coming days.