Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe in Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the Godswill Akpabio stadium has sparked widespread outrage among fans, with many blaming coach Eric Chelle and captain William Troost-Ekong for the missed opportunity to secure crucial win in their bid to revive their qualification hope.
The Super Eagles were leading 1-0 in the 86th minute, only to concede a late equaliser, leaving their World Cup qualification hopes in tatters.
The primary source of frustration from thewas Chelle’s substitution of Victor Osimhen, who was forced off with an injury.
Instead of reinforcing the defense, Chelle opted to bring on striker Boniface, a decision that fans felt exposed Nigeria’s vulnerable backline.
Fans took to social media, with many criticising the coach for failing to close out the game effectively.
@MrJapola expressed his anger on X, saying: “This draw is on Eric Chelle. Nigeria was 1-0 up in the 86th minute, Osimhen got injured, and you expect a reasonable coach to close down the game, either by bringing in an extra defensive midfielder or a defender.
But the Malian coach decided to substitute in Boniface. To do what exactly?”
Echoing similar sentiments, @olope_el wrote: “Eric Chelle messed up his game management.
“Once Osimhen was coming off, there was no need for another striker like Boniface. A midfielder or a defender should have been brought in to manage the game.”
@ConvertOdds also posted,” The day Nigeria will have a good tactical coach on the bench alongside the head coach. Then you can get good results. You are winning.7mins to go.
“Remove Oshimen, and put Boniface. If you switch to three midfielders, will you die..”
@nuradeeeen also faulted Chelle despite the plethora of talent in his squad.
“You have Osimhen, Lookman, Boniface, Alex Iwobi, Chukwueze but still get a draw against Zimbabwe. Poor coach.”
@OlusegunKolade7 also added, “Honestly, we are out of it. We cannot qualify. Its painful cause the Coach was indecisive.
“All he needed was to bring in more defenders to shore up the defense. Take out lookman and bring in a defensive midfielder. Boniface had no business in that game. That was all.
The criticism of Chelle was further compounded by fans’ dissatisfaction with Boniface’s performance.
Many claimed the Bayer Leverkusen striker did not contribute enough to both attack and defence, with @miola001 calling him “lazy” and accusing him of not tracking back.
Others, such as @SeyeThompson, suggested that the substitution of Osimhen for Boniface was an unnecessary tactical error, especially with Nigeria ahead late in the game.
He wrote, “Boniface for Osimehn wasn’t necessary. Man should have shored up the midfield since he was 1-0 up.”
However, the blame did not rest solely on Chelle’s shoulders. Fans also pointed fingers at Troost-Ekong for his lackluster defensive display, which allowed Zimbabwe to score the equaliser.
Several supporters criticised the captain for his slow reaction and ineffective defending, questioning whether his time with the national team should come to an end.
“I’ve never rated Ekong as a defender, how could you be so sluggish like that in such a dangerous area? He caused us the three points man!” tweeted AYOBAMI (@Ay_pappi1), capturing the sentiments of many fans.
Yemi Adenuga (@Yemijayred) added: “Troost-Ekong stopped being safe in a back four since the Oyinbo wall partnership ended,” referring to his previous successful defensive pairing.
Others, like MD Martins (@MartinsEsq1), called Troost-Ekong’s defensive performance “useless” and declared that Nigeria’s World Cup hopes were now over.
MD Martins posted, “The only serious player in that team is @victorosimhen9, the defence lead by Troost-Ekong is a useless and dullard defender. World Cup hope has ended.”
The criticism escalated with AllNigeriaSoccer (@Editor_ANS), who bluntly stated, “Troost-Ekong should just retire from international football.”
Some fans even questioned the decision to start Troost-Ekong in the match.
Biscuit (@biscuitx0) asked, “When is Troost-Ekong retiring? He shouldn’t be starting games for us,” while Bobby (@theactorbobby) suggested that an additional defender might have provided better coverage and prevented the defensive error.
DeeTalks (@DeetalksSam) echoed the frustration, stating, “If we are going to be honest with ourselves, Troost-Ekong cost us this match.”
As criticism of both the coach and the defence intensified, some fans questioned whether Troost-Ekong should continue in the starting lineup.
The result, which cost Nigeria valuable points in the qualification race, left fans frustrated and concerned about the Super Eagles’ prospects.
With Nigeria’s World Cup campaign now in the balance, the pressure is mounting on coach Chelle to address his tactical shortcomings and improve the team’s defensive frailties ahead of their next qualifier.
