- Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro confirms midfielder Alhassan Yusuf’s injury, expresses confidence in winning the upcoming match against Ivory Coast
- Ivory Coast captain Max Alain Gradel emphasizes team confidence, pledges to make the nation proud in the decisive match against Nigeria
Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, affirmed that the three-time champions are geared up to secure maximum points in their upcoming match against hosts Ivory Coast at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations.
During the pre-match conference in Abidjan, Peseiro revealed that midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, who showcased an impressive performance against Equatorial Guinea, will be sidelined due to an injury sustained during that match. Peseiro assured, “Yusuf is out of the game tomorrow. He is fine but not ready for tomorrow’s match. He will be ready for the last group match.”
Expressing confidence in his team’s capabilities, Peseiro stated, “We have what it takes to win the game tomorrow, and there’s nothing to change in my team because we created a lot of goalscoring opportunities in our game against Equatorial Guinea. We hope to utilize the opportunities this time and score goals.”
The clash between Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast is one of the highly anticipated matches of the tournament, taking place at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Ebimpe, outside Abidjan. Both teams had varying outcomes in their opening matches, with the Elephants securing a 2-0 victory over Guinea Bissau, while the Super Eagles drew 1-1 against Equatorial Guinea.
In a similar vein, Cote d’Ivoire captain, Max Alain Gradel, emphasized his team’s confidence, stating, “We are Cote d’Ivoire. We respect all our opponents. But we fear nobody. We will do what we have to do.” Gradel, with 105 caps, expressed the significance of playing the Africa Cup of Nations at home and pledged to make the people proud with a decisive and important match against Nigeria.
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