Tunisia and Sheffield Wednesday right-back Yan Valery has revealed why his team fell short in their 3-2 loss to Nigeria in the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, reflecting on the lessons learned from the defeat and the team’s objectives for the remainder of the tournament.

When asked about the key lessons from Tunisia’s narrow 3-2 defeat to Nigeria, Sheffield Wednesday right-back Yan Valery did not shy away from addressing the team’s shortcomings. 

Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the match, Valery reflected on how Tunisia approached the game and the adjustments needed to bounce back.

He stated: "We had too much respect for Nigeria. I think especially in the first half we're not aggressive enough in the jewels first and second balls."

Valery elaborated on the impact of their cautious approach, noting that hesitation against a side of Nigeria’s caliber can be immediately costly.

He highlighted the team’s learning points and the urgency to respond in upcoming matches.

"And when you do this against a good players like this then get you get punished straight away. So that's what we gain from this game and now we need to learn from it and quickly react for the next game."

The Sheffield Wednesday defender also spoke about the pride of representing Tunisia at a major tournament like the Africa Cup of Nations.

He expressed admiration for the squad’s talent and determination, emphasizing that unity and belief within the team would be critical moving forward. 

"I'm proud of it. like I said, we have a good team, good players, and we showed in the second half, but now we need to do in 90 minutes and yeah, inshallah, we will react next game and and keep going and and I want the team to still like stay together and believe in ourselves."

Looking ahead, Valery explained Tunisia’s approach to the rest of the tournament, stressing a measured, game-by-game mentality.

"Like we said at the start of the competition, we go game by game because you don't have to see too far. So, we go back game by games, try to win every game and then inshallah we go as far as we can go."

The Carthage Eagles will now be seeking to bounce back from their narrow defeat when they face Tanzania in their final group stage game on Tuesday.

A victory is crucial for Tunisia as they aim to advance to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Wale Adejumo