Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro says his team must show their superiority over Sierra Leone when both sides meet in Thursday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Abuja.
Both teams meet in their first game of the qualifying series for next year’s tournament and Peseiro who will be leading out Nigeria for the first time in a competitive game says his players are ready for it.
The Nigerians boast of familiar names in European football and although the Portuguese admitted that, he says his team must make that known on the pitch.
“It’s true that our team (players) are better than Sierra Leone but we must show it,” began Peseiro.
“In football, any team can be good with good organisation, good spacing and all but create twenty opportunities and don’t score but the other team has one chance and scores.”
The last time both teams met in Nigeria, Sierra Leone came from 4-0 down to hold Nigeria to a 4-4 draw in Benin City late 2020. Peseiro says his wards must show they are ready to avoid a repeat right from the onset.
“Of course I know the team is ready for tomorrow but we need to show in all aspects that we are ready. We will see our strategy, our plans, our dynamics on the game and the future,” he told the media at the press conference held in Abuja.
Nigeria lost by the odd goal margin to Mexico and Ecuador in Peseiro’s first games in charge early this month. The former Venezuela coach will be hoping for a better fortune when his team face the Leone Stars, starting from 5pm on Thursday.
IMAGE: @PoojaMedia
