Switzerland based Nigerian coach Adedeji Anthony Adefemi has urged Super Eagles to play a compact game against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday when the AFCON 2023 Group A opening match gets underway.
Adedeji was of optimistic of Super Eagles winning the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote D’ Ivoire believing that Nigeria have the players that will deliver the trophy come February 11.
Recall that Nigeria have been grouped alongside hosts, Cote D’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in Group A.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s opening match against Equatorial Guinea on January 14, Adedeji told Blueprint Sports that the Super Eagles should first of all put all the losses behind them. They should not be distracted and focus on the job ahead.
“The first match is very important. They should put the nation first. They should be determined not to give any space to opponents. They need to be compact and bring the game to the opponents half and make sure that they win the game to boost their confidence subsequently.
“The opponents knows that they are playing against one of the best team in Africa. They will come with defensive mindset that’s why Eagles need to be cohesive, compact and be strong mentally to break any defence down.
“Well, having seen the final 25-man list released by Jose Peseiro, I want to believe that we have the players with a lot of individual skills and brilliance but the major problems is that they don’t play together as a team.
“It will be tough and as you know, if you want to be a champion, you must be ready to beat the best teams. I wish the team all the best in Cote D’Ivoire.”
