Super Eagles Land in Abidjan, Hoping to Make Nigerians Proud

AHEAD AFCON 2023

*Peseiro:  “We cannot makes mistakes. We want to win this first match.”

Duro. Ikhazuagbe

Three-time African champions Super Eagles stormed the Ivorian capital, Abidjan yesterday for the 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals scheduled to kick off on Saturday.

The chartered aircraft that conveyed players and officials of the Super Eagles touched down at 11.23 am Cote d’Ivoire time (12.23 pm Nigeria time), with the contingent dressed in Nigeria’s traditional white kaftan attire with matching cap.

Their color and pomp matched the ambiance and flavor of the send-forth ceremony organised for the team by the Lagos State Government on Tuesday night, with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as chief host. 

Speaking shortly after Super Eagles light training session after their nearly two hours flight from Lagos airport, team’s Head Coach, Jose Peseiro, confirmed that it was neither tactical nor conditioning training. 

“It was just a light workout to relax the muscles. Don’t forget our strenuous long travel  back to Lagos from Abu Dhabi,” observed the Portuguese gaffer.

He affirmed that Super Eagles will have full training today ahead of their opening Group A clash with Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.

Peseiro insisted that Nigeria’s first match against Equatorial Guinea was an important one for the team. “This match (against Equatorial Guinea) and next match (against hosts Côte d’Ivoire) are important for us. We cannot make mistakes. We want to win this first match.”

Interestingly, Equatorial Guinea who Eagles will play at the Alassane Ouattara D’Anyama Olympic Stadium in Abidjan on Sunday are not ready to play the whipping boys role of Group A. Nzalang Nacional  as the Equatorial Guinea’s senior team are called, are hoping to repeat the feat of 2015 when they as hosts reached the semi final. They were quarter finalist at AFCON 2021 in Cameroon and only lost to eventual winners Senegal.