Izuchukwu Okosi
Super Eagles head coach José Peseiro insisted on Sunday that his team are poised to finish their group stage campaign in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire in a flurry as leaders, reports Prime Business Africa.
The three-time African champions defeated hosts Cote d’Ivoire 1-0 in their second Group A game of the tournament on Thursday to revive the team’s hopes of winning the continental championship again after the last triumph on 2013 following the 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in the first match.
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Peseiro who was recommended to the Nigeria Football Federation by former Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and AS Roma coach, Jose Mourinho, spoke during his pre match press conference.
“We defeated Cote d’Ivoire, but that is already in the past. We know that in football, what counts is the moment. We must temper our confidence, and put in more work as required. We must not rest,” Peseiro warned.
“We want to take the first place and for that, we must do battle. We must do what is necessary to accomplish our mission tomorrow,” Peseiro added at the Palais de la Culture in the Treichville area of Abidjan on Sunday.
Nigeria look good for a place in the round of 16 with four points in the bag but in a clash marking the 100th appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, victory is all the team ever wants.
“We have to forget that we defeated the host nation. There is a lot more work to be done. We want to be here for the long haul,” the Portuguese told the media.
Peseiro won his first two competitive games with the Super Eagles – a 2-1 defeat of Sierra Leone in Abuja and a record-breaking international win of 10—0 against Sao Tome and Principe in Agadir, Morocco in June 2022.
However, the Wild Dogs stepped on Nigeria soil and pipped the Eagles 1-0 in an AFCON 2023 qualifier. Nigeria repaid the compliment a few days later in Bissau, but the Portuguese trainer says the Portuguese-speaking nation still owes him a clapback.
“We are not thinking about revenge but we are here to top the group and they are in our sights. We must do what has to be done. Guinea Bissau have no point and will play with freedom, and that is when a team becomes dangerous.”
Both teams clash at the Stade Félix Houphoüet-Boigny in central Abidjan from 5pm CIV time on Monday, which is 6pm Nigeria time.
Despite looking good for a spot in the Round of 16 with their four points following the defeat of host nation Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday, Nigeria will not take their feet off the pedal when they clash with Guinea Bissau on Monday evening.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
