Former international footballer, Victor Ikpeba has expressed his admiration for Victor Osimhen and coach Eric Chelle following the Super Eagles’ performance in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
In their recent matches, the Super Eagles emerged victorious against Rwanda with a 2-0 scoreline, marking their first win in the qualifiers. However, they faced a setback at home, settling for a 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe.
Osimhen played a pivotal role during these matches, netting two goals in the victory against Rwanda and scoring the team’s sole goal in the encounter with Zimbabwe.
His performance has drawn significant praise, particularly for his commitment and determination on the pitch. “I was truly impressed by the energy and dedication Osimhen displayed; he left everything out there and scored a total of three goals across both matches,” Ikpeba remarked during his appearance on SuperSport TV’s Monday Night Football.
He went on to comment on Osimhen’s emotions post-match, stating, “There was nothing inappropriate about him walking off in frustration after the Zimbabwe game. Such reactions are part of being passionate about the sport.”
Ikpeba, who was a key player in the Super Eagles AFCON 1994 championship-winning team, also extended his commendation to Coach Chelle for instilling a renewed sense of fighting spirit within the squad.
“If we had appointed him earlier in the qualifiers, I believe we would find ourselves in a more favorable position on the table,” he noted, suggesting that Chelle’s influence could have significantly altered the team’s trajectory.
Reflecting on the match against Zimbabwe, Ikpeba observed, “We certainly created enough opportunities to claim victory, but we were unable to convert those chances into goals.”
