Super Eagles right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel has commended Nigeria’s defensive unit following the team’s heartbreaking exit from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a semi-final defeat to host nation Morocco.
Nigeria were held to a goalless draw after 120 minutes before losing 4–2 on penalties, bringing an end to their AFCON title hopes.
Despite the result, Osayi-Samuel singled out the Super Eagles’ back line for praise, describing their performance as “amazing” against a highly rated Moroccan side.
The Birmingham City defender specifically mentioned Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi, and himself, noting that the quartet stood firm throughout the encounter and limited Morocco’s attacking threats in open play.
“It’s very painful to lose,” Osayi-Samuel said in his post-match interview. “I think we played very well. The back four — Bassey, Ajayi, myself, and Bruno — the defence was amazing. I am proud of the team.”
Osayi-Samuel also revealed that head coach Eric Chelle expressed pride in the players despite the narrow defeat, stressing that the outcome did not reflect the team’s overall performance in the tournament.
“It’s painful that we lost on penalties, but penalties are all about luck,” he added.
Nigeria’s penalty hopes were dented after Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi both had their spot-kicks saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, whose heroics proved decisive in the shootout.
The Super Eagles’ exit marked another narrow miss at the continental stage, but their defensive resilience throughout the competition earned plaudits from fans and pundits alike.
Despite the disappointment, Nigeria’s performance against the AFCON hosts reinforced the team’s growing solidity under Chelle and offered positives to build on ahead of future international assignments.
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