The Super Eagles fell to visiting Djurtus in Abuja, but there were still reasons for optimism after the qualifying match
Coach Jose Peseiro says Nigeria can beat any team in the world if their play the way they did in Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
The Super Eagles were silenced 1-0 by Guinea Bissau in Friday’s fixture at the MKO Abiola Stadium Abuja.
Despite dominating the ill-fated encounter, the West Africans failed were caged by Mama Balde’s 29th minute beauty after he was teed up by 32-year-old Opa Sangante.
Notwithstanding an improved play by hosts, their major undoing was failing to convert begging opportunities with Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze.
The scoreline perhaps flattered the Nigerian, but as Peseiro expressed optimism during the post-match conference.
“First of all congratulations to Guinea Bissau. Second, we missed so many goals and we could have been here for another one hour and not score.
“Sometimes it happens in football. I am not happy of course, I am sad like my team but they created many opportunities.
“If we keep playing like this, we can beat any team. With the way we played, we could have defeated Guinea Bissau. It was a good luck for them and bad luck for us.”
The former Venezuela coach went a step further insisting that the outcome at the MKO Abiola Stadium is not a reflection of the performance of his men.
He added: “Today, I think we deserved much more. If you watched the match and want to speak the truth, football happened.
“Our team fought, we created opportunities. In the second half, our team put the Guineans in their half. They scored one goal and we could have scored five to six goals. It happens in football.”
Following this result, Nigeria dropped to second in Group A with six points from three matches played so far.
Peseiro and his men travel to the Estádio 24 de Setembro, Bissau for the reverse fixture against Baciro Cande’s men on Monday.
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we told Dem dey will never listen. even their press attachee just there looking for who to interview. they wil never say anything to counter wat the coach did not know. .. I said the middle guys in eagles can't hold the ball . dey only looking for who to pass to .and the moment the opposition come out hard dey withdraw to their net because dey don't want to go back to club with injury.
añd before the second leg comes up the coach must have an engine room. they wil cook the soup and give the ball to the person that wil give the bal to the scorer . lol our coach no dey read English sef ..
see how he interpret questions and give wrong answers