Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has publicly criticised Femi Azeez despite the forward scoring two goals on his debut against Zimbabwe in the Unity Cup semi-final. Nigeria defeated the Warriors of Zimbabwe 2-0 at The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
Azeez's Debut Performance
Azeez opened the scoring in the 5th minute and added a second in the 63rd minute after a brilliant combination with captain Terem Moffi. The Millwall star's performance drew praise from Nigerians, who saw him as a new attacking force for the Eagles.
Chelle's Criticism
Despite the match-winning display, Chelle expressed dissatisfaction with Azeez's failure to follow tactical instructions. "You can ask Azeez directly. The first objective was for him to run today; this is what I asked of them. The second instruction was to press high, but during the 90 minutes, they did not," Chelle said at the post-match conference.
He added: "We have to analyse the performance, particularly Azeez's. I know he scored two goals, so congratulations to him. But he lost possession far too often, technically, so I'm not happy. He won the ball back at times, but other times he didn't, so I'm not happy. But for his debut, I can say congratulations to him."
Future Squad Inclusion
Chelle hinted that Azeez could be included in the squad for upcoming friendlies against Poland and Portugal in June. "If I want him for the games against Portugal and Poland, I'll say yes. But if I don't want him, I'll say no," he said.
Upcoming Matches
Azeez will have another chance to impress Chelle when Nigeria faces the winner of the second semi-final between India and Jamaica on Saturday. The Super Eagles aim to defend their Unity Cup title, which they won at the Gtech Community Stadium in 2025. Further international friendlies are scheduled for June 3 and 10 against Poland and Portugal as part of World Cup preparations.
