Nigeria’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaign ended prematurely, and head coach Eric Chelle believes avoidable errors were at the heart of the Super Eagles’ downfall.

Speaking after the 4-0 defeat to Sudan, Chelle admitted that while his side started strongly — enjoying the first 20 minutes and even taking the lead — a series of blunders turned the tide. “We gave away four goals from mistakes,” he lamented.

The coach revealed that the squad was weakened before the tournament, with several key players leaving camp for moves abroad. “The group that came for the CHAN is not the same one that qualified,” he explained. “Some of our best league players featured, but we simply can’t approach games with this level of complacency.”

Reflecting on both the opener against Senegal and the Sudan clash, Chelle stressed that every goal conceded came from preventable situations. “At this level, such errors are costly. We must be more focused,” he concluded.