In a recent friendly match against Mozambique, the Super Eagles secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory, but their head coach, Jose Peseiro, expressed mixed emotions in the post-match interview.
The win marked the first friendly victory for the Nigerian team in 15 matches, breaking a five-year drought of wins in non-competitive fixtures.
Peseiro began by acknowledging his happiness at finally breaking the friendly match curse, citing eight previous defeats and seven draws over the past half-decade.
However, he was quick to express his disappointment in the team’s overall performance, especially in the second half of the match.
The coach believed that his squad should have been more dominant, considering they were up against ten men. He stressed the need for better concentration in the final third of the pitch, emphasizing the importance of precise passing and crossing for a more effective finishing.
Peseiro appeared frustrated that his players seemed to relax after taking a 3-1 lead against the reduced opposition, only to concede two late goals.
Despite securing the victory, Peseiro pointed out that his team should have scored even more goals, given the numerous opportunities they created.
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He stressed that in friendly matches, it was vital to maintain a high level of concentration, much like they had done in their previous encounter against Saudi Arabia.
The coach was particularly critical of his team’s inability to deliver quality crosses and finishes, as well as their lackluster performance during corner situations.
While he acknowledged his happiness for the win, he made it clear that he expected more from his players and was far from satisfied with the result.
In conclusion, Nigeria’s victory over Mozambique was a long-awaited breakthrough in friendly matches, but Coach Jose Peseiro highlighted the need for his players to maintain their focus, score more goals, and consistently deliver a higher standard of play to meet his expectations.
