Nigeria’s Super Eagles have put themselves in pole position for a fourth continental crown in Morocco and rightly so. The peaking of the team came like a surprise and it is like being struck by a more or less benign avalanche. It was unexpected for many critics, of whom I am chief, but nonetheless captivating.
The Eagles arrived in Morocco at the back of yet another failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, but just like in January 2024, they have switched on their competition’s gear and have blown teams away in a premeditated fashion and with an admirable swagger that has got tongues wagging in different languages.
Although there is a striking distinction in how the Eagles have breezed through their opponents in this tournament as compared to the last tournament in Côte d’Ivoire, an intrinsic cord of similarity quietly went unnoticed to observers in the process of attaining this invincibility.
In 2024, the Eagles went into Africa’s football showpiece in Abidjan shortly after they pioneered their own failure in World Cup qualification – failing to beat minnows Lesotho at home and the Zimbabwe in neutral ground but Jose Peseiro did the unthinkable in Abidjan.
https://x.com/modovictorekene/status/2010576167586189808?s=46
The 2025 AFCON has come after the completion of that qualification process which culminated in Nigeria failing to take a golden second chance, an unexpected touch of fate that landed them in the playoffs but the Super Eagles faltered.
Nigeria drew with Equatorial Guinea in their opening game of AFCON 2024 while the Eagles turned a somewhat comfortable win over Tanzania in 2025 into a nervy ending. Like Peseiro, Chelle noticed an imbalance and made a singular defensive adjustment to his structure.
While Calvin Bassey was added to the defence for a back five in place of an extra midfielder in 2024, Frank Onyeka, a battling midfielder replaced Samuel Chukwueze, an adhoc midfielder with the most attacking tendencies. Those changes dictated what both sides would do at both competitions.
Without discarding the influence of Africa’s most feared centre forward Victor Osimhen on the Nigerian team, one still has to be surprised by how efficient and expansive the Nigerian side to this tournament has become, full credit to Eric Chelle.
https://x.com/foskolo/status/1989285840393232674?s=46
Chelle’s 4312 formation which now has more stability with Onyeka has thoroughly dominated opponents while providing premium entertainment in the same breath. The tournament has once again proved that legendary theologian Thomas Fuller right in his words that “It is always darkest just before the Day dawneth”.
https://x.com/ngsupereagles/status/2011096572365586639?s=46
Behold the dreaded hosts…
Standing between Chelle and a historic run that will remain forever indelible in the annals of history is the Atlas Lions of Morocco, the team whose desperation masked in determination to win the tournament is apparent to all.
https://x.com/oganlamedia/status/2011038142405718121?s=46
Away from the conspiracy theories though, all four semi-finalists in Morocco 2025 have one thing in common; they have gone through the competition unbeaten but Nigeria are the only side with 100% record, which makes the West Africans the most feared.
While Nigeria have stood tall above their adversaries in the competition, Morocco have also in their own right secured results whenever they want them although sometimes in less catchy way as compared to the Nigerians.
A worry for the Eagles is their dreadful record against AFCON host nations in knockout stage games. The Eagles have failed to beat the hosts in the previous three occasions they faced them in the latter stages of the competition.
Like Peseiro met in 2023, Eric Chelle will be coming up against a host nation that is getting stronger in will and determination (you can read that as desperation) to land their first continental title in fifty years. The judgement on whether that is actualised or not lies in the court of Chelle and his inimitable troop.
