The Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro, has expressed satisfaction despite his team being held to a 1-1 draw by Equatorial Guinea in their opening Group A match of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 on Sunday.
Equatorial Guinea had taken a surprise lead in the 36th minute through Iban Salvador before Nigerian star Victor Osimhen equalized for the three-time champions just two minutes later.
Osimhen, the reigning African Player of the Year, showed his quality by superbly heading Nigeria back to the game at close range.
However, the Super Eagles were unable to find a winner in their Group A opener played at the Japoma Stadium in Douala.
“We hoped to win this match, and we did everything to win. Our team was better than that of Equatorial Guinea, but we lacked luck,” Peseiro stated during the post-match news conference on Sunday. “I am not happy. I believed we deserved to win, and this draw doesn’t suit us.”
Peseiro acknowledged that Nigeria had created numerous chances but struggled to convert them into goals. He expressed the need for the team to improve their finishing in future matches.
“Our team created a lot of chances, but we didn’t score. We hope that next time, even with fewer opportunities, we will be able to score. We simply have to improve our finishing,” he concluded.
The draw puts Nigeria under pressure going into their Group A game against hosts Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday.