SUPER Eagles of Nigeria head coach Jose Peseiro has told his players not to be overconfident when they face Angola in the quarter-finals of the AFCON 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
Nigeria have a much richer football pedigree compared to Angola, but Peseiro insists the Palancas Negras should be treated as equals by the three-time African champions when the two teams clash in Abijdan on Friday.
“I am telling them that we are only in the last eight, that we still have some way to go, and that the farther we go, the tougher the opposition becomes,” Peseiro told thenff.com.
“We have played four matches and won three, so we must keep level heads as we go forward.
“Our philosophy is that there are no small teams here at the Africa Cup. Every team qualified to be here, and every team in the knockout phase qualified from a group phase.
“Any team in the quarter-final is good enough for the trophy. We believe we are good enough for the trophy, but we must continue working and putting out our best on match days.”
Angola topped Group D after victories over Mauritania and 2013 finalists Burkina Faso and a draw with two-time champions Algeria, scoring six goals and conceding three.
To set up the quarter-final encounter with Nigeria, Angola thrashed Namibia 3-0 in the round of 16, and they are on a quest for their first-ever AFCON semi-final spot.
