Head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro has said his players must stay humble and focus on their next game against Angola at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
Peseiro’s side advanced to the quarter finals after defeating the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 2-0 in the knockout game played at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Saturday night.
Angola continued their impressive showing at the AFCON 2023 finals with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Namibia on Saturday.
Speaking after the match, Peseiro warned his players of the threat posed by the Palancas Negras and further, noting that all the teams are capable of winning.
The Portuguese also stressed that it is important for the Super Eagles to take every opponent seriously, if they want to make it to the finals.
The coach told journalists; “We will now focus on our next match against Angola, which is having an excellent tournament.
“We must take this opponent seriously, so we will continue to sleep early and eat pasta (laughs). Jokes aside, all the teams at this stage are capable of winning the tournament.”
Meanwhile, CorrectNG reports that he why he was yet to play the likes of Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidozie Awaziem, among others at AFCON.
When asked about his players at his pre-match press conference before the Guinea-Bissau game earlier this week, Peseiro said he wants to play all of them at once, but that cannot happen due to the rule of football, and the players are aware of that limitation.
He said; “Till now we have not played Uzoho, Ojo, Chidozie, Bruno Onyemaechi, Onyedika, Ahmed, Kelechi and Moffi—eight players.
“I would like to put all of them; even if the referee allows me, I put 25 on the pitch but he doesn’t allow it. The main point here, and my players know, is our team, the Super Eagles. They deserve to play but I cannot replace more than five; I cannot start more than 11.”
