Tag: Peseiro

Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has reiterated his desire to beat Cote d’Ivoire and lift the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations trophy this evening.

The final clash between Super Eagles and Cote d’Ivoire kicks off at 9pm at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan.

The Portuguese tactician is preparing for his first AFCON final in his maiden appearance after a lot of criticism before the start of the competition.

Speaking during the pre-match press conference ahead of the much-anticipated final, Peseiro said playing an AFCON final was important and that he would like to win.

Read Also: TEREM MOFFI: We came here to win the trophy, nothing less 

“It’s the final, good atmosphere, with full stadium. Our players know that it is not easy to win AFCON and they must put in their best to win. Playing a final is always important. This is my first AFCON. Some were saying it’s been special, and I can attest to that. The emotions in Africa are very special. All of this in my opinion is a great way to learn and I would love to win it with the Nigerian team,” Peseiro said.

He added: “I learnt tremendously here. There is joy when you win but difficult when you lose so it is very important to find a balance. We have a great squad of players that really want to win this for Nigeria. Some are new-comers to the squad but have played in other competitions. Football brings a long of emotion, more than any sport and this is important for Nigeria.”

Super Eagles secured a berth to the Final Match  of the  2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’ Ivoire following a penalty shootout victory over The Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Wednesday night in Bouake. With the victory, Super Eagles’ head coach Jose Peseiro has seemingly  exceeded expectations  of leading  the three time African champions  beyond  the semis of the  continental showpiece event. But what next  for the Portuguese  when curtain is drawn  on  Cote d’Ivoire 2023 on Sunday ?  MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN and TUNDE LIADI report.  

With the Super Eagles’ poor start to  their  2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers following successive 1-1 draw against the Crocodiles of Lesotho in Uyo and the Brave Warriors of Zimbabwe in Rwanda, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) attached the fate of Portuguese coach Jose  Peseiro to the team’s  results at  the AFCON 2023 in Cote d’Ivoire. .

The Eagles have been far from their best before AFCON with  an unimpressive win to loss ratio and it was shrewd that the NFF gave Peseiro the mandate to take Nigeria to at least the semi-final of the AFCON to have any realistic  chance of  retaining his job. Besides  taking a pay cut during the renegotiation of his contract last year, his tenure  was  also  tied to the end of AFCON.

Peseiro’s results  with the Super  Eagles before  the AFCON was below expectations ,with the team winning only six games, drawing four  and losing seven of 16 games played under his leadership.

The wins were recorded against Sao Tome (twice), Sierra Leone (twice), Guinea Bissau, and Mozambique (which marked Peseiro’s first friendly game success for the Eagles). These are teams Nigeria should beat ordinarily without sweating based on their pedigree and the teams’ poor rankings in Africa cum the world.

The low point was the Eagles’ disappointing 1-0 loss in Abuja to Guinea-Bissau, a team over 80 places below Nigeria on the FIFA ranking. The drawn games against Lesotho (at home) and Zimbabwe (at a neutral ground) in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers didn’t inspire any confidence as well.

But the Super Eagles became  a reborn entity under Peseiro at the AFCON in Ivory Coast.

They started the competition poorly with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea but have since remained unbeaten ever since en route to their eighth AFCON final appearance against hosts, Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.

Ahead  of this eagerly awaited  AFCON 2023 Final Match in Abidjan on Sunday, opinions are divided on whether the Portuguese should be given a contract extension or be allowed to leave irrespective of the result against the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire. 

The Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCTFA)  chairman,  Adam Mouktar Mohammed,  hailed  the performance of the Super Eagles at the ongoing AFCON but was noncommittal about  extension of Peseiro’s contract.

He said even though the Super Eagles’ gaffer may have activated one of the clauses enshrined in his contract with his qualification for the AFCON final, It is germane for the NFF to look at other clauses in the contract and take a critical look to see if he has fulfilled them also.

Mohammed hinted that there was nothing new to celebrate in the Eagles making it to the last four having done the same thing 15 times before the ongoing edition but they would more than deserve a pat on the back if they are able to win a fourth AFCON title in Cote ‘d’Ivoire on Sunday.

“Well, credit must be given the work the coach has done at the AFCON so far,” Mohammed told NationSport. “But ultimately we are not privy to the terms and conditions in the contract as to what it stipulates regarding other expectations of him for example is he to develop a pool of upcoming talents to integrate and replace the older outgoing ones who have served with heart and might!

“Some even say for a big passionate football nation like Nigeria the mandate in an AFCON has to be to ‘Win the Cup  and in a World  Cup,  like a Semi Final.

“Statistics show this is the 16^th   time Nigeria has qualified for the semi-finals….. So?” he noted with askance.

Yet  former league scribe, Dr. Steve Olarinoye, stated that the NFF should not take a hasty  decision that may later be counterproductive.

He said the football house had wanted to dispense with Peseiro’s services before AFCON but were at crossroads because they could not pay him off and had to opt for salary cut.

“Are we sure the NFF actually know what they wanted?” he asked rhetorically. “Otherwise, they’d wanted to do away with his services but they were handicapped and opted for salary reduction,” Olarinoye  said,  adding  that Peseiro may be handed an extension to his contract with the synergy he has built with the rank and file of the Super Eagles in Cote’d’Ivoire after they started on a shaky note against Equatorial Guinea.”If we are to go by this tournament, he started like a locomotive  engine and picked up as the tournament progresses. I think he’s getting used to the boys and their capabilities. He may therefore be spared the rod.”

Meanwhile, former Super Eagles midfielder, Sani Kaita called on the NFF to exercise some restraints in their desire to hand a fresh contract to Jose Peseiro.

The ex-Alania Vladikavkaz of Russia midfielder surmised  that the NFF should review everything about the contract after the AFCON so that it won’t be a hurriedly taken decision.

“We shouldn’t extend it just yet. Let’s hope we can beat South Africa and go ahead to win competition first. Our focus should remain on that at the moment” Kaita, who won two AFCON bronze medals with Nigeria in 2006 and 2010 told NationSport before the decisive semi-final match  where the Super Eagles edged Bafana Bafana  4-2 on penalties. “The team is getting result we all wanted.

“I hope NFF would make the right decision afterwards,” he added.

But former Golden Eaglets coach, Alphonsus Dike stated that with the results the Eagles have posted in the Cote d’Ivoire 2023 AFCON, the NFF should not waste time in extending Peseiro’s contract.

He said the performance of the Eagles at the AFCON  showed the team can achieve more under the tutelage of the Portuguese tactician if he is allowed to continue  post AFCON.

Dike who previously coached Nasarawa United and  Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland FC), noted that Peseiro struggled pre-AFCON because he was still trying to get his tactics right and that now that the boys have understood him, the Eagles are flying and are making Nigerians happy.

“If it were to be you what would you have done? He has qualified the team to the AFCON final and they are favourite to win it. I will say he has done well with the team and deserves to be given a fresh contract,” Dike declared. “The team was not among the top three to qualify for the final before the start of the tournament but they have proved all doubters wrong. He needs to remain with the team for continuity. The team took time to understand his tactics. It was the reason for the struggles.”

Erstwhile  Benue Cement Company (BCC) Lions  defender , Bolaji Douglas, has however, clamoured for the retention of Peseiro based on  his excellent job thus far at AFCON.

He said the former Venezuelan coach scored a major point with his discovery of Stanley Nwabali for the Super Eagles and also for sticking with his game plan despite the outcry that greeted his poor performance before AFCON.

“On Jose Peseiro, I think it is only fair to give the man his dues,” Bolaji said matter-of-factly. “I believe he was tasked to achieve a certain target, to get to the semi-final but he has surpassed that by qualifying for the final in a tournament that has witnessed the scalping of the big teams in broad daylight.

” The man should be allowed to reap the reward of his labour in my humble opinion.

“There remains more work to be done on the team, I am not sure we are there yet, but I see a coach who did a great team management in this tournament. While others were being pressured to play certain players for sentimental reasons, Peseiro shunned all of that as he focussed on the job.

Read Also: My tactics suffered against South Africa – Peseiro

“I think where he scored big with me is the boldness to go look for a goalkeeper in Nwabali when he realised he needed one. He could have towed the lazy path and stuck to Uzoho, but he knew what was needed to win a tournament. Not only did he unearthed a new gem, but he was bold also to hand him the number 1 jersey, a move that has brought great success to the team and rewarded him beyond his wildest dreams.

“Saying he deserves an extension is not being sentimental, it is a matter of fact devoid of any sentiments,” Bolaji sounded off.

Peseiro’s scorecard with  Super Eagles

29-5-2022:Mexico 2-1 Nigeria (friendly)

3-6-2022 : Ecuador 1-0 Nigeria (Friendly)

9-6-2022:  Nigeria 2-1 Sierra Leone (2023 AFCONQ)

13-6-2022:  Sao Tome 0-10 Nigeria  (2023 AFCONQ)

27-9-2022 : Algeria 2-1 Nigeria (Friendly)

10-11-2022:  Costa Rica 2-0 Nigeria (Friendly)

17-11-2022 Portugal 4-0 Nigeria (Friendly)

24-3-2023:  Nigeria 0-1 Guinea Bissau (2023 AFCONQ)

27-3-2023:  Guinea Bissau 0-1 Nigeria  (2023 AFCONQ)

18-6-2023:Sierra Leone 2-3 Nigeria  (2023 AFCONQ)

10-9-2023:  Nigeria 6-0 Sao Tome  (2023 AFCONQ)

13-10-2023:  Saudi Arabia 2-2 Nigeria (Friendly)

16-10-2023:  Mozambique 2-3 Nigeria (Friendly)

16-11-2023:  Nigeria 1-1 Lesotho (2026 WCQ)

19-11-2023:  Zimbabwe 1-1 Nigeria (2026 WCQ)

8-1-2024:  Guinea 2-0 Nigeria (Friendly)

14-1-2024:  Nigeria 1-1 Equatorial Guinea (2023 AFCON)

18-1-2024:  Cote d’Ivoire 0-1 Nigeria (2023 AFCON)

22-1-2024:  Guinea Bissau 0-1 Nigeria (2023 AFCON)

27-1-2024:  Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon (2023 AFCON)

02-2-2024:  Nigeria 1-0 Angola (2023 AFCON)

07-2-2024: Nigeria 1-1 South Africa (2023 AFCON) (4-2 on pens)

11-2-2024:  Nigeria ??? Cote ‘d’Ivoire (2023 AFCON)

Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender, Muisi Ajao, said he  heaved a sigh of relief after Nigeria claimed a dramatic penalty shootout win over South Africa on Wednesday in one of the sem-final matches  at the Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON) 2023. .

The victory steered Super Eagles to the final of the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire , but Ajao maintained that luck, rather tactical prowess, aided Nigeria’s progress.

“I think we were somehow lucky to win this one because South Africa enjoyed more possession but failed to kill off their impressive build ups in the final third,” he  said. “I also noticed that our midfield lost bite and fluidity after Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka and Moses Simon were taken off.

Read Also: My tactics suffered against South Africa – Peseiro

“I believe our coach must have learned one or two things from this game, not to substitute key players all at once,” he said.

Ajao, who is currently holidaying in the United States, would love to see Super Eagles lifting their fourth AFCON trophy on Sunday, but advised the team to be wary of hosts Cote d’ivoire.

“We should not be under any illusions that victory is assured even though we defeated them in the group stages. This is a different Ivorian team that has rediscovered it’s winning mentality and their progress to the final is a sure testimony.

“However, the cup is ours to win provided we are composed and start off on a front foot,” said Ajao, who won five international caps for Nigeria at senior level.

Nigeria manager José Peseiro has called on his side to be more clinical up front despite boasting the strongest defence at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The Super Eagles are into the semi-finals after a 1-0 win over Angola which represented their fourth straight clean sheet at the competition.

Quietly and without fanfare, Nigeria are steadily advancing in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 with a clash with South Africa on Wednesday.

The coach and his players are now two matches away from a fourth triumph for Nigeria.

While praising Nigeria’s defensive solidity, Peseiro hopes to see improvements in attack.

“Once again we played without conceding, scored a goal, but I would have liked more. The team could have created more opportunities,” he said.

With just six goals scored in five games, the Portuguese feels Nigeria aren’t capitalizing on their quality.

“We are a quality team, Angola was very good, but we had more luck. I remain satisfied with my players but want us to be more efficient,” Peseiro added.

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The manager did admit that chance creation hasn’t been helped by injury absences.

“We’re missing some key creators like Iheanacho and Aribo, so it’s been hard. But others must now step up,” he noted.

As Nigeria chase a fourth AFCON crown, Peseiro knows finding a clinical edge could be decisive.

A victory against South Africa on Wednesday at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake would bring them closer to this important goal.

The Super Eagles have ground out results thanks to their miserly defence. But should they rediscover their scoring touch, Peseiro may yet lead Nigeria back to the pinnacle of African football.

Coach Jose Peseiro has admitted  that  today’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter final clash between Nigeria and  Angola is a ’50-50’ chance between both sides,  adding the Super Eagles the Palancas  Negras  have what it takes having  reached this stage of the competition.

The game will kicks off from 6pm  Nigerian time at the Houphouët Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

Peseiro stated at his  pre-match press conference that Angola are good side that have capacity to beat any opponent but he is confident that his team will play to win.

“For my opinion about tomorrow’s game, It’s 50% chance for each team to win the game but I believe in my team to win the game,” Peseiro said.

Peseiro also said he is anticipating a tough clash against the Palancas Negras but noted  Nigeria needed the victory more than the Angolans .

Read Also: AFCON: Let’s pray for Eagles against Angola, Ganduje appeals to Nigerians

“It’s a quarter final game and every team want to reach semi-finals. We want to play against a strong team at AFCON. They are not big name in AFCON but they are doing very well. They have shown the capacity. They want to win but I think they don’t want it more than us. Our team have played four matches and scored five goals.

“We want to keep the momentum. We want to create more opportunity and score goals and at the same time defended very well. This work belongs to the team. We must attack together and defend together.”

Also, Peseiro has insisted that he won’t change his tactics for today’s game, stressing that his boys are more comfortable with his formation.

Peseiro switched to a 3-4-3 formation following the Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea in their opening fixture.

“If we play our way, it is better for us. I’m not going to change our formation, our tactics and our way of play. Our players are more comfortable with the way we are playing. I don’t want to change my team,” he added.