MEZIESBLOG

After three months of travelling the length and breadth of Nigeria, watching domestic league matches, and communicating with his Europe-based stars online, Super Eagles coach Eric Sekou Chelle will take charge of his first game, against Rwanda, on Friday.

Malian Sekou Chelle became the first non-Nigerian African to be handed one of the most prestigious national team jobs in Africa when he was named Super Eagles coach in January, with a brief to dig Nigeria out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying hole they find themselves in.

After four games and two coaches, they are floundering on three draws and one loss. Chelle’s immediate brief is to get the Super Eagles a ticket to North America, despite sitting in fifth position on the log, four points adrift of Rwanda, who lead the group.

With only three training sessions with his wards before what is no doubt the biggest game of his career, what should fans expect from Chelle and his team?

Fighting spirit will be required

Make no mistake, this will be a fight from start to finish. Nigeria do not have a good record against Rwanda on the road.

In three previous meetings going back 20 years in Rwanda, the Super Eagles have all managed to come away with three draws from all three games. A 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match ended 1-1 at the Amahoro Stadium.

In 2011, a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Stade Regional de Nyamirambo, in the outskirts of Kigali, ended scoreless, and last September, it was another 0-0 in a 2025 AFCON qualifying match at the Amahoro.

One constant in those games has always been the fight and intensity brought by the home team, even when they line out with players whose talents and exposure are miles removed from those of the Super Eagles stars.

To expect any less from the hosts would be delusional. Which is why the Sekou Chelle’s Super Eagles must be expected to respond in kind. They cannot afford to be out-hustled and outfought in any part of the pitch.

Striker Victor Osimhen said in an earlier interview that the new coach has demanded that players give everything. His Mali team at the last AFCON were fighters, and if the current set of Nigeria players are as desperate as they say to make it to the World Cup, they will do as their coach says and fight.

Osimhen said: “He said ‘I need you guys to come and work with me to achieve amazing things with Nigeria. And I think you guys have the quality to do it. But the one who doesn’t fight for every ball, the one who doesn’t run will not play. He was clear with me.”

Captain WIlliam Troost-Ekong says the team are up for the challenge: “We’re fired up,” the defender said in an interview from the camp.

“We know we have a big job ahead. It comes with pressure but I keep saying to everyone that this pressure is a privilege, so all the boys are feeling that. We are very happy to work with a new coach, he has given us a lot of new instructions so for us it is just a matter of making sure that we understand what he wants from us and we are working towards that now.

“These are the key moments when you have to stand up but none of us are afraid of that and like I said, this pressure is a privilege for all of us.”

This is not unfamiliar territory to Nigeria. Sudan, in 2010, the Super Eagles were in a similar position and had to battle all the way with Yakubu and Obafemi Martins coming up with the goods in a 4-3 win.

If the Super Eagles grit it out, fight, contest every duel and make sure they win one more second ball than Rwanda, then their quality will tell. If not, their hopes of making it to North America will be hanging by the finest of threads.