Nigeria’s head coach, José Peseiro, expressed satisfaction with the strategy employed by his team in their hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cote d’Ivoire in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
The Portuguese coach acknowledged the challenges of facing the hosts and highlighted the importance of executing a successful strategy.
Peseiro mentioned that the strategy implemented against Cote d’Ivoire worked, leading to the crucial 1-0 win.
“For the next match we have to control the game, try to be less timid and not give possession to the opponent,” he said.
For José Peseiro, this victory does not suddenly make Nigeria one of the favourites of the competition.
“I told my players not to savour the victory. We have four days left before the next match. From day one I told them: ‘you must win the AFCON’,” he said.
He praised his players for following the game plan and securing the victory, even in the face of strong opposition and vocal support for the hosts from the crowd at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe.
Despite the victory, Peseiro noted areas for improvement and emphasized the need to control the game better in future matches.
He specifically mentioned the importance of avoiding timidity and not giving possession to the opponent.
Looking ahead, the coach reminded his players not to savor the victory too much, emphasizing the need to maintain focus.
Peseiro stated that winning the AFCON was the goal from day one, and he urged his team to remain committed to that objective.
Nigeria’s next match in Group A is against Guinea-Bissau on Monday, January 22, at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Abidjan, with kick-off scheduled at 17:00 GMT.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Ghana Guardian.
Send your news stories to Editor of Ghana Guardian via WhatsApp on +233501061949
