“It was a very difficult one” — Jose Peseiro confesses

Nigeria’s Super Eagles clinched a hard-fought victory against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, securing their spot in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations but for coach Jose Peseiro, it wasn’t as easy as ticking a box.

The Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro showered praise on his players following a nail-biting semi-final clash that culminated in a thrilling penalty shootout.

The showdown unfolded at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake, with William Troost-Ekong’s spot-kick in the 67th minute propelling Nigeria into the lead. However, South Africa retaliated just three minutes before the final whistle, leveling the score with Teboho Mokoena’s penalty.

Despite the tense deadlock, Nigeria ultimately emerged victorious in the penalty shootout, converting four out of five attempts.

Speaking to reporters post-match, Jose Peseiro commended his team’s resilience and performance, highlighting the formidable challenge posed by South Africa’s cohesive gameplay.

“The players deserve to be in the final; it’s a very good victory against a good team,” remarked Peseiro.

“I said it earlier that South Africa has the best organization because they play together and they created more problems for us. It was very difficult to beat them,” he added, reflecting on the formidable opposition.