Head coach of Nigeria’s home based Super Eagles, Imama Amapakabo says revenge will not be in the picture when the team face Togo in the WAFU Cup of Nations on Sunday.
Nigeria face Togo in their opening game in the 2019 edition of the competition, a second meeting between both sides in eight days after the Togolese side walloped Nigeria 4-1 in a CHAN 2020 qualifier last Sunday.
Speaking from Thies, Senegal, Amapakabo says his side is focused on Sunday’s game.
“There’s nothing like revenge in football,” Amapakabo told the Federation’s website.
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“My belief is that no two games can be the same; once one game is over, it is gone.
“And so, meeting Togo again is not really a case of getting the opportunity to revenge but an opportunity to check what lessons learnt from the previous encounter with that team.”
Amapakabo’s wards conceded three goals in the last 25 minutes of that debilitating loss to Togo in Lome but the former Rangers International coach assures his team have learnt from it.
“I can confidently say that we have learnt our lesson from what happened in Lome and that will definitely reflect in how we handle Sunday’s game.
“Now we know them a lot better and they equally know us better than they did. The good thing is that we are meeting on a neutral ground and this gives both teams opportunity to play without any inhibition.”
Nigeria will face Togo at 7pm local time (6pm Nigerian time) at the Stade Lat Dior, Thies on Sunday evening. Winner of the tie will advance to the Cup Event of the competition while losers drop to the Plate Event.
On Saturday, hosts Senegal registered a convincing 3-1 success over Guinea-Bissau in the opening game of the tournament.
Djibril Gueye and Assane Mbodj gave the local Teranga Lions a deserved lead before Claudio Gomes reduced the deficit before the break. Star man Abdoulaye Ba scored after the break to seal the win for Senegal.
