Our game plan worked against I’Coast — Eagles

By Daily Sports Nigeria on January 19, 2024

Captain William Troost-Ekong slotted home the match winner from the spot in the 55th minute as the Super Eagles put their AFCON 2023 campaign back on track with a 1-0 win over hosts Ivory Coast at Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, on Thursday.

Amid the celebrations from their pocket of fans in Abidjan and those back home, Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, who was fouled inside the Ivorian box for the penalty, said they had a game plan that they perfectly executed against the hosts.

“This game against Ivory Coast was a big statement game for us, we needed to win and make a statement in a competition like the AFCON. Ivory Coast have a lot of quality players in the squad so I think we deserved this win. We have also got a lot of talented players that can do the damage, we were focused from start of the game to the end.

“We had a game plan which we carried to the pitch, and I am happy that we executed it well and it worked out for us. We are going for the next game now, and we know what we need to do to qualify and we are ready for them,” he said.

Coach Jose Peseiro made two changes to the side that played a 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea on Monday, with Calvin Bassey taking the place of the injured Alhassan Yusuf, while Samuel Chuwueze got the nod ahead of Moses Simon.

The first chance of the game fell to Frank Onyeka in the second minute but his shot went wide following a nice interchange of passes between Alex Iwobi and Zaidu Sanusi to set up the Brentford man.

Victor Osimhen wasted the best chance of the first half after he failed to convert a fine through ball from Chukwueze that saw him through on goal with only Yahia Fofana — in goal for the Ivorians — to beat. Instead, the Napoli striker sent his shot wide, while it was easier to hit target.

Ten minutes into the second half, Peseiro’s men took the lead through captain Troost-Ekong, who stepped up to score from the penalty spot after Osimhen was fouled in the opposition box. It was Troost-Ekong’s third goal in as many AFCON tournaments after he scored the winner against South Africa in the quarter-finals in his first appearance in Egypt in 2019. He also scored another goal in the 2021 edition in Cameroon, hitting target in the Eagles’ 2-0 group stage triumph over Guinea-Bissau.

Nigeria held on for nine minutes of added time to earn a deserved 1-0 win to move to second in the group with four points and just a goal difference behind Equatorial Guinea, who beat Guinea-Bissau 4-2 earlier on Thursday at the same venue.

“We wanted to win the first game but we couldn’t. This was an important game for us to show what we are capable of and I’m really proud of the boys and we deserved to win,” Troost-Ekong said after the game.

“We know we were playing against a quality team, especially at their home here. But we had to do more, we had to fight more. I think we have so much quality but we have to earn the right to win and this is a performance we can all be proud of,” he added.

It was one of the three-time African champions’ best performances under the watch of Portuguese Peseiro — who’s come under scathing criticisms following his side’s lethargic display before Thursday.

However, the hard-fought win against a side like Ivory Coast soothed the nerves of the country’s of the country’s football-crazy fans, ahead of the Eagles’ final Group A game against guinea-Bissau on Monday.

Source Punch Ng

Posted January 19, 2024


 

You may also like...
Guardiola banned for 2 Champions League games

COVID-19: CAF Releases Guidelines For Restart Of Competitions...

Emerson Ruled Out For One Month — Lampard...

Premier League: Man Utd, Chelsea Qualify For Champions...

Nigeria’s Ola Aina Scores Stunner As Fulham Sink...

Star cricketer charged with domestic violence

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,308 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,743 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,932 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media