AFCON 2023: Why Super Eagles beat Cote d’Ivoire — Finidi, Osimhen

News Express |19th Jan 2024 | 524
AFCON 2023: Why Super Eagles beat Cote d’Ivoire — Finidi, Osimhen

Super Eagles assistant coach, Finidi George




Super Eagles assistant coach, Finidi George, says discipline and tactical switch in formation earned the team victory over Cote dIvoire on Thursday at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Finidi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after a pulsating match that the boys played to instructions in a very tactical game against the hosts.

We are very happy with the victory but nothing has been done yet.

It was a tactical game, we switched formation and had to defend most of the time and using counter attacks from the flanks.

Its a team (Cote dIvoire) that is very good on the ball, so we had to sit back a bit, close the spaces and go on counter attacks, he said.

The coach said in spite of the win, the boys will not get carried away but work harder in their next match against Guinea Bissau on Monday.

We will keep our cool in the next match because nothing has been achieved yet, we go all out again, he said.

Also speaking, Super Eagles of Nigeria and Napoli FC of Italy striker, Victor Osimhen, said the team was dissatisfied with its performance in the match against Equatorial Guinea hence raised its game against the host on Thursday.

Osimhen, who is the current African Footballer of the Year, spoke at the post-match news conference.

NAN recalls that a 55th minute strike from the spot by Captain William Ekong was all Nigeria needed to beat the Elephants of Cote dIvoire at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

The Napoli striker, who won the Man-of-the-Match award for his scintillating performance, said that there were no underdogs at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

We needed this game to make a statement.

We were focused from the start of the whistle to the end.

We were really happy about this victory and we will really keep on going from here, Osimhen said.

NAN reports that Nigeria who are currently second in Group A will face Guinea-Bissau on Monday at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Abidjan for their third and final round of Group A matches from 5.00 p.m. (local time) (NAN)




Comments

Post Comment

Sunday, October 5, 2025 1:07 AM
ADVERTISEMENT

Follow us on

GOCOP Accredited Member

GOCOP Accredited member
logo

NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.

Contact

Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos State.
+234(0)8098020976, 07013416146, 08066020976
info@newsexpressngr.com

Find us on

Facebook
Twitter

Copyright NewsExpress Nigeria 2025