Super Eagles head coach Eric Sékou Chelle and winger Moses Simon have expressed confidence and focus ahead of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final clash against Algeria in Morocco on Saturday.
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Speaking to the press on Friday, Chelle highlighted his familiarity with North African football, having previously worked in Algeria, and stressed the importance of tactical discipline and mental readiness against a technically gifted Algerian side.
“Algerian football is very technical, with a lot of movement. They love to play football,” Chelle said.
“I know this culture well, and we have tried to find the best formation and approach for this game. But the most important thing is the mindset of the group and our defensive organisation.”
The Franco-Malian tactician revealed that the Super Eagles have had intensive training sessions in the build-up to the match and are fully prepared for the challenge.
“We’ve trained consistently over the last few days and we still have another session tonight. Of course, it’s a great game against a great team. We are motivated and we want to win,” he added.
On his experience managing Nigeria at such a high level, Chelle remained grounded, insisting his focus is strictly on the players and the task at hand rather than external expectations.
“I stay with my players and I don’t follow social media or television. I don’t know what people are saying around the team,” he explained.
“My focus is to work with my players, to give them ambition, and to go together in search of something special. That journey passes through this game.”
Moses Simon, who was part of the Nigerian squad eliminated by Algeria at the 2019 AFCON, acknowledged the frequent references to that defeat but insisted the current team is looking forward, not backward.
“Of course, we are aware of what happened in 2019. I was there,”
Simon said. “But this is a different time, with different players and a different mindset. We talk about the past, but we focus on the present.”
The Nantes forward emphasized the hunger within the squad, particularly among younger players eager to make their mark on the continental stage.
“A lot of young players want to make a name for themselves. We are motivated. We are not going there to try to win — we want to win. That is our goal,” he declared.
Nigeria and Algeria will battle for a place in the AFCON 2025 semi-finals in what promises to be one of the tournament’s standout quarter-final encounters.
