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Hostilities resume today at the 2023 AFCON currently holding in Cote D’Ivoire as the Super Eagles of Nigeria get ready to trade tackles with the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea today at the Alassane Quattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan.
The Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire defeated the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau 2-0 in the opening group A match on Saturday to lead the group.
However, Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa is talking tough ahead of the encounter today against the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea.
“The goal is to do it again, it has been a long time since we won the AFCON but come February 12, Insha Allah, the Super Eagles will lift the trophy,” Musa affirmed.
Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro said leading the Nigerian national team comes with the burden of expectation and he is ready for the big challenge.
“To play for Nigeria is not easy, 200 million football fans want to win and we need to answer with good results on the pitch,” the Portuguese manager told the media.
Peseiro who has had to make a series of replacements in his team remains confident his assembled squad is good enough to challenge for the top prize in Cote d’Ivoire.
“It’s unfortunate that those players can’t be here with us, they all want to play but they can’t because of injury,” Peseiro told a press conference in Abidjan on Saturday.
“The good thing is that we have the players to replace them.
“It’s not much of a problem for us because we have picked players with the same profile.
“These players have different characters, but in terms of profiles, they are not different.
However, despite being the underdog in today’s encounter, the spirit in the camp of the Nzalang Nacional is very high, coming off the heels of going undefeated throughout 2023 and claiming victories in World Cup qualifying games against Namibia and Liberia without conceding a goal.
The coach of the side, Juan Micha is full of confidence, although not also underrating the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
According to Micha, his team is in Cote D’Ivoire to win the tournament and not just as a participant.
“We have an ambition in this tournament, we want to win it,” he declared at Saturday’s pre-match press conference. “We are aware of what to do, we want to give our best.”
Accepting that Nigeria will parade array of talented stars including the current African Footballer of the year, Micha noted that his side is a team to beat at the tournament.
This is the first time both countries will face at the AFCON but they Super Eagles defeated them twice in a World Cup qualifiers in 2010.