In a post-match interview, Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro voiced his dissatisfaction with Nigeria’s subpar goal conversion rate during the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Despite securing a spot in the last-16 as Group A runners-up, Nigeria’s offensive struggles have raised eyebrows.
Nigeria clinched a narrow 1-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau, securing passage to the knockout stage. The lone goal of the match, however, was an Opa Sangate own-goal in the first half, highlighting Nigeria’s inability to capitalize on numerous scoring opportunities.
Remarkably, the Super Eagles managed only three goals in three group games, a concern given their formidable attacking lineup. Victor Osimhen’s header against Equatorial Guinea stands as Nigeria’s sole goal from open play, with another coming from the penalty spot against Ivory Coast.
Despite acknowledging the missed chances, Coach Peseiro remains optimistic about Nigeria’s offensive capabilities in the knockout rounds.
In a post-match interview following the Guinea-Bissau clash, the Portuguese tactician expressed his belief that his team deserved more goals and should have topped Group A, considering Equatorial Guinea’s 4-0 victory over hosts Ivory Coast on the same day.
While acknowledging the absence of easy opponents in AFCON, Peseiro assured that his team would be prepared for their upcoming challenges once the next opponent is determined.
Peseiro stated, “For the next match, we’re going to score. It is important for us to score goals, but it’s a difficult tournament. We deserve to reach the first position because against Equatorial Guinea, we created many chances, we didn’t score. Equatorial Guinea did not beat us, they draw us.
“I’m happy for that, and I’ll wait for the next match. It’s not easy to win one match in this competition. It’s not easy.”
In the Round of 16, Nigeria will face the runners-up in Group C, which could be any of Senegal, Guinea, or Cameroon.