Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has explained why he made seven half-time changes during Nigeria's 2-2 draw against Poland in Warsaw. The international friendly match, played at the National Stadium in Warsaw, saw Poland force a draw after a late equalizer from Przemysław Wiśniewski.
Match Overview
According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Terem Moffi opened the scoring for the Super Eagles in the 23rd minute. Debutant Kacper Potulski equalized for Poland just before halftime. Paul Onuachu restored Nigeria's lead from the penalty spot in the 78th minute. Both teams played attacking football, and Nigeria's goalkeeper Maduka Okoye made two crucial saves in the second half to keep the score level.
Chelle's Explanation
The Super Eagles continued their unbeaten run in regulation time under Chelle, but this match was their closest to losing in 90 minutes. Chelle admitted that the result reflected the true nature of the game and appreciated the draw because Poland came close to winning.
“The 2-2 scoreline reflects this match well. I don’t forget that the Poles could have scored at least two more goals against us in the second half, so this draw is valuable to us,” Chelle said, as quoted by Sportowefakty.
The Franco-Malian coach, who usually makes substitutions around the hour mark, made seven half-time changes against Poland. He explained his decision during the post-match conference. The substitutes included Semi Ajayi, Zaidu Sanusi, Paul Onuachu, Calvin Bassey, Raphael Onyedika, Rafiu Durosinmi, and Philip Otele, who replaced Emmanuel Fernandez, Bruno Onyemaechi, Terem Moffi, Igoh Ogbu, Frank Onyeka, Tochukwu Nnadi, and Akor Adams.
“They were already on vacation. That's why I made seven changes at halftime. Our captain usually does a lot more on the pitch, but after 60 minutes, he was practically gone,” Chelle added.
Upcoming Match Against Portugal
Poland and Nigeria both failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Poland has completed its friendly games, while Nigeria will face Portugal on June 10. Chelle confirmed that he will adopt a similar approach of heavy rotation for that match because his players are out of shape.
“The approach will be similar because, as I mentioned, my players are out of shape. Why do we need these two matches in the middle of the summer holidays?” he concluded.
Poland Coach's Reaction
Earlier, Poland coach Jan Urban reacted to the 2-2 draw, acknowledging that his team conceded cheap goals but emphasized that friendly matches should not be judged harshly.
