Portuguese coach José Peseiro, who on Wednesday led Nigeria to victory in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations football tournament, praised the players of the team he leads, stating that they “deserve to be in the final”.
In Bouake, Nigeria defeated South Africa 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time and extra time, securing their spot in the final.
“The players deserve to be in the final, we achieved a very good victory against a good team… It was very difficult to win,” he said in a press conference after the match in Ivory Coast.
The 63-year-old coach, who oversees Boavista players Onyemaechi and Chidozie, along with Zaidu from FC Porto, is aiming for his sixth career title and second in Africa, having previously won an Egyptian League title with Al-Ahly (2015/16).
Moreover, José Peseiro aims to become the first Portuguese ever to win an AFCON title, needing to defeat a team with “the best organization in the tournament,” praising the South African counterpart Hugo Broos.
“They play very well together and caused us a lot of problems. I have to congratulate Hugo Broos, who put together this team and made them play very well,” he emphasized.
Regarding his team, he praised the “great spirit” of the group, which “always fights together,” as well as his choices, such as Moffi and Iheanacho, who hadn’t played in the competition yet and today “played as if they had been involved from the beginning”.
“I am very happy, as are the players. We deserve it, the Nigerian people deserve it,” he declared.
In Bouake, Nigeria prevailed 4-2 on penalties, with Iheanacho scoring the decisive kick.
Earlier, Troost-Ekong scored the first goal of the match from a penalty in the 67th minute, but the South Africans, with Tondela’s Yaya Sithole in the starting lineup, equalized in the 90th minute from a penalty by Mokoena, with extra time failing to change the score.
Nigeria is seeking their fourth title in 20 appearances, after victories in 1980, 1994, and 2013, and a first trophy with José Peseiro at the helm, facing hosts Ivory Coast in the final, who today defeated DR Congo 1-0.
