Nigerian Striker Sends Message to Chelle With Winning Goal After Super Eagles Snub
- Eric Chelle named a controversial squad for his first two matches in charge of the Super Eagles
- Nigeria beat Rwanda 2-0 in Kigali before playing a disappointing 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe
- One of the strikers he snubbed has fired a warning to the coach with a winning goal for his club
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Eric Chelle left some in-form players out of his first Super Eagles squad, and one of them has fired a warning to the coach with a winning goal for his club after the international break.
Chelle named an initial 39-man provisional squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, and it was later trimmed down to 23 players.
Source: Twitter
The Super Eagles won 2-0 against Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali before playing a disappointing draw against Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Fans questioned the manager’s selection after the draw in Uyo, particularly with his selection in midfield and attack, with some top-performing players overlooked.
Dessers sends message to Chelle
Chelle was questioned over the snubbing of in-form forward Cyriel Dessers and calling up Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface, who has been out of form for a while.
The manager was also criticised for overlooking Frank Onyeka, who has been in form for Augsburg since joining from Brentford on loan, and called up US-based Alhassan Yusuf, who played only 16 minutes.
Dessers returned to action with Rangers after the international break and scored the last gasp winner over Dundee, helping the team win 4-3 against the relegation side.
According to Transfermarkt, it was his 23rd goal in all competitions for Rangers this season.
As noted by Irvine Times, the Belgian-born forward scored his 45th goal for the club in his 100th appearance, setting the record as the fourth fastest for the Glasgow club.
Speaking after the game, he admitted that he is proud of this record and it shows how hard he has worked to be named among those big names in the history of the club.
Source: Getty Images
“When you say it like that, that makes me very proud. I had difficult times at this club, especially when I came in, but when you’re amongst these names, I think you’re doing something right,” he said
“I know the people in the building see how hard I work in the gym, on the pitch, in training, and this is the reward so when you tell me this, that’s a very nice thing to hear from you. These are big names in the history of this club.”
The best international break is in June for the FIFA international friendlies, and if he keeps up his momentum, the forward could earn his spot in Chelle's second squad.
Boniface appeals to Nigerians
Legit.ng reported that Victor Boniface appealed to Nigerians to be patient with him as he continues to search for his first Super Eagles goal more than a year after his debut.
The former Royal Union Saint Gilloise striker scored on his return to Bayer Leverkusen from international break, helping them beat VfL Bochum 3-1 at home on Friday.
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Source: Legit.ng
