An Owerri based football analyst, Kemdi Nwankwo, has called on Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze to publicly apologise to Nigerians over his missed penalty against Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final.
Nigeria were eliminated by hosts Morocco in the last-four clash, a defeat that Nwankwo said remains painful largely because of how the crucial penalty was taken.
Nwankwo said the public anger directed at Chukwueze had been widely misunderstood.
“Nobody dislikes Chukwueze because he missed a penalty. Penalties are missed in football,” he said.
He explained that what upset Nigerians was the attitude and execution displayed by the winger at a decisive moment.
“The issue was the casual manner of the kick. There was no urgency, no seriousness and no sense of responsibility,” Nwankwo said.
According to him, Chukwueze showed a lack of professionalism by walking slowly to the spot and chewing gum before kicking the ball.
“He chewed gum and strolled to take a penalty in a semi-final. He practically passed the ball to the Moroccan goalkeeper,” he said.
Nwankwo questioned whether such conduct would ever be tolerated at club level, particularly in Europe.
“He cannot do that at Fulham. He didn’t behave like that at Villarreal or AC Milan. That penalty looked like a player who was distracted or unsettled,” he said.
He suggested that Chukwueze may have been affected by issues off the pitch or dissatisfaction over his role in the team.
“He played as if he was angry with coach Eric Chelle for not starting him earlier, or as if something unknown was eating him up,” Nwankwo said.
He expressed shock that a player with vast top-level experience would lack conviction at such a defining moment.
“This was a match watched by over 200 million Nigerians. The hopes of a nation rested on that kick, yet there was no power or intent,” he said.
Nwankwo drew comparisons with elite footballers, insisting that big moments demand seriousness.
“You don’t see players like Ronaldo or Messi approach penalties in such a casual and unserious manner at crucial stages,” he said.
He reiterated that missing a penalty, in itself, is not unforgivable in football.
“Great players like Pele and Zico missed penalties. That is part of the game,” Nwankwo said.
However, he insisted that a public apology from the Fulham winger was necessary to restore public trust.
“Chukwueze should apologise to Nigerians and show remorse. An apology will calm nerves and show he understands the weight of that moment,” he added.
Nwankwo warned that silence could further damage the winger’s image among fans.
“If he does not apologise, many Nigerians will continue to believe that the penalty was deliberately taken, costing the country a golden opportunity to play in the AFCON final,” he said.
