Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle has said that people thought he was lying when he talked about the readiness of the players ahead of the semifinal clash with Morocco.
Nigeria fell 4-2 to the host nation, via penalty shootout.
Chelle said the defeat was really tough to take, but he also praised his players for their strong mindset and hard work during the match.
Chelle also praised Morocco for making it to the final, but said his team stayed focused and had the right attitude going into the match.
“Morocco really earned this win, but our mindset was positive. We battled for every ball, and you know before this game I talked at the press conference and I said something. Everyone tried to say this was just a trick or that I was not telling the truth.
“I know my team, and I can say for sure it wasn’t an easy game for us, but the players showed a strong mindset and gave us a good response,” he said.
The Super Eagles took the lead in the shootout early on, but their hopes were eventually crushed, adding to their penalty troubles at the tournament.
Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyeamachi could not convert their spot kicks setting up a third-place clash the Pharaohs of Egypt.
They are set to play against Egypt on Saturday in an effort to finish the tournament on a good note.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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