“Get past the first round” – Guinea-Bissau coach warns Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea to be wary of Wild Dogs

The Djurtus have never made it past the group stages of the continental competition since making their debut in 2017

Guinea-Bissau coach Baciro Candé admits it would be tough for his team to beat Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Equatorial Guinea to the qualifying ticket in Group A of the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Soccernet.ng reports.

Candé has, however, set the target of making history at the AFCON and helping the Djurtus reach the knockout rounds of the championship.

A former Guinea-Bissau international, Candé already has his name written in his country’s record books as the first manager to guide them to qualify for the AFCON for the first time in 2017.

The 56-year-old manager has been in charge since, leading the Wild Dogs to three more AFCON finals.

The next target is to make it past the group stage, a task that could be particularly difficult in 2024.

Guinea-Bissau are grouped with two former champions, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire, who are also the hosts – teams tipped among the favourites to win the competition.

While Candé is aware of the threat posed by the former AFCON winners, the former defender is confident Guinea-Bissau can spring a surprise and make it to the knockout round in Cote d’Ivoire.

Speaking to cafonline, Candé noted:

“Our goal is to finally get past the first round. It’s true that our group is very tough with opponents like Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Equatorial Guinea, but anything is possible in football; anything is possible.”

Guinea-Bissau will face hosts Cote d’Ivoire in the opening match of the AFCON before tackling Equatorial Guinea on matchday.

The final Group A game is against three-time winners Nigeria in what could potentially be a make-or-mar tie for both teams.