Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has outlined qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as Nigeria’s two major objectives, following his side’s dramatic 3-3 draw against Russia in an international friendly.
Chelle’s youthful and experimental squad produced a spirited comeback in Nizhny Novgorod, recovering from a 3-1 deficit to earn a share of the spoils and leave the coach encouraged by the performances of several emerging players.
Speaking after the match, the Franco-Malian tactician said the friendly provided an opportunity to assess younger players after difficulties securing the release of some established internationals.
“We have two objectives. The vision is like that: the AFCON 2027 and the Olympic Games,” Chelle said.
According to the Super Eagles coach, club commitments disrupted his original plans and forced the technical crew to look toward players from Nigeria’s Under-23 setup.
“We had a lot of problems bringing some players to the national team because the clubs didn’t want to let them go. So now we come with a big team of the Under-23,” he explained.
Nigeria’s young side responded impressively against the Russians. Kelechi Iheanacho gave the Super Eagles an early lead before the hosts surged into a 3-1 advantage. Peter Edokpolor pulled one back late on, while Akor Adams struck deep into stoppage time to complete the comeback.
The performance appears to have strengthened the prospects of several newcomers, with Chelle suggesting some could remain part of his plans from now on.
“After the game that they showed us, maybe some of them will come into the national team for the next FIFA window,” he stated.
The coach also revealed that preparations for the November international break would begin immediately, with a preliminary squad list expected to be compiled within the next ten days.
“I have ten days to make a pre-list for November, and we will see,” Chelle added.
While pleased with the resilience shown against Russia, Chelle stressed that Nigeria’s long-term focus remains firmly on securing qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and earning a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
For the Super Eagles boss, the Russia friendly served not only as a test of character but also as an opportunity to identify players capable of contributing to Nigeria’s ambitions on both the continental and global stage.
