Super Eagles Coach, Eric Chelle, has described Nigeria’s 4-1 defeat of Gabon in the first semifinal of the 2026 World Cup African playoffs as the elixir that has put the team in good stead for the task of beating DR Congo on Sunday to win the African ticket to the intercontinental playoffs billed for next year in Mexico.
The Super Eagles went on strike on the eve of the game against Gabon and then trained only once before the encounter against the Panthers. That decision to down tools showed in the team’s game as they struggled initially in the encounter before finding their rhythm to win convincingly.
With Gabon out of the way, Chelle said that his team is now working on how to make the game against DR Congo as simple as possible, describing the East African side as a team filled with experienced stars.
Goals from Akor Adams, Chidera Ejuke and Victor Osimhen (twice) gave the Super Eagles the victory in the game, which, Chelle said, showed the identity Nigeria is gradually building under his watch.
Saying that the team must be grounded, focused and ready for the task ahead if they want to overcome DR Congo, the former Mali manager urged Nigerians to continue to support as they seek to return to the World Cup after missing the 2022 edition in Qatar.
He said: “The reality is that our victory over Gabon is nothing yet, because in two days we have another game. Maybe after the second game, we will go home with a smile.
“I don’t want to talk about what happened before. Since I came, we’ve tried to work and create an identity. We always talk about the game — the sport project. The sport project is very important, and the game model too.
“The most important thing for a team is to create an identity: how you play in defence and how you play in attack. That’s why we try to improve every time, in every FIFA window.”
He admitted that short time he had with the team limited preparation, but he praised the players’ growing understanding of his philosophy.”
The Super Eagles will be without Wilfred Ndidi due to suspension, while several other key players—including Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Stanley Nwabali, Frank Onyeka, and Amas Obasogie—are one yellow card away from missing the inter-confederation playoff should Nigeria qualify.
The Super Eagles potentially-explosive encounter against DR Congo inside the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay El Hassan will see the Leopards, who last attended football’s biggest houseparty in 1974, try to halt the strong march of the Super Eagles to a seventh finals since 1994.
The Leopards, champions of Africa in 1968 and 1974, crashed out at group stage in Germany in 1974, losing all three matches, including a better-forgotten 9-0 thumping by then Yugoslavia in Gelsenkirchen – where they were also beaten 3-0 by Brazil. They also lost 0-2 to Scotland in Dortmund.
The Leopards are managed by 49-year- old Sébastien Desabre, a French national, who has ample North African ground and environmental experience having had stints with Wydad Athletic Club of Casablanca (Morocco), and also with the trio of Espérance Sportive de Tunis and Ismaily FC and Pyramids FC in Egypt.
He comes up against Franco-Malian Chelle, Nigeria’s 48-year-old manager, who remains unbeaten in five competitive matches for the Super Eagles in this race, and has told his players to buckle up and get the job done on Sunday, and leave themselves with only one match to play at the Intercontinental Playoffs to make it to the big rumble in the USA, Canada and Mexico next year.
Chelle’s record with Nigeria is four wins and a draw, with 14 goals pumped into the opponents’ net and four conceded, and most Nigerians are agreed that were he the one who managed the qualifying campaign from the beginning, the Eagles would have nicked an automatic ticket and have no need to come to the playoffs.
Yet, Chelle will miss deputy captain Wilfred Ndidi, who collected a second yellow card in the series in Thursday’s trouncing of Gabon, and must sit out the big fight with the Leopards on Sunday.
“Ndidi is an important player for us. His experience, ability and leadership on the pitch are important for this team. But we will manage the situation. We have a large squad of players and we will make changes.
“Ndidi is still here with us and will support the team mentally and with his presence.” Chelle can opt to start with either Raphael Onyedika or Frank Onyeka in place of Ndidi. Onyeka greatly shored up the midfield in extra time on Thursday. The coach also has added ammunition at the back as suspended centre-back Semi Ajayi is now free to go into action.
Chelle and his army must beware of the predator named Chancel Mbemba (also captain of the team), as well as Cipenga, Noah Sadiki and Silas Katompa. The Leopards boast a close-knit rearguard, and there are also Cédric Bakambu, Meshack Elia, Samuel Essende, and the dangerous Pyramids FC of Egypt forward Fiston Mayele.
Already qualified for the Intercontinental Playoffs, scheduled for the Mexican cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey in March, are Bolivia and New Caledonia, with Iraq, Jamaica and Panama also well-placed to make it.
However, Nigeria and Panama are the highest-ranked of the six, and will each be seeded to play only one match (the two Final matches), after the other four had battled out semi-final matches.
