“We had defensive errors” — Peseiro defends Super Eagles tactics

Tactics wasn’t the reason for Super Eagles defeat, Nigeria head coach, Jose Peseiro tries to defend as Nigerians reel from the 2-1 defeat in the AFCON to Ivory Coast despite taking the lead into half-time.

In the wake of Nigeria’s heart-wrenching defeat to Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, head coach Jose Peseiro has addressed the team’s tactical approach during the match, shedding light on his decision not to alter their game plan despite conceding the lead.

The Super Eagles appeared poised for victory after William Troost-Ekong’s first-half header gave them the lead, but Ivory Coast staged a remarkable comeback in the second half, netting two goals to clinch the trophy.

When questioned about his team’s defensive stance following their early advantage, Peseiro defended his decision, emphasizing the continuity of their tried-and-tested strategy.

“When you have a system that you have been using and it has been working, you really don’t want to change it,” Peseiro remarked in the aftermath of the match.

“It is true that I kept to this strategy until we were 2-1 down and then I decided to change it.”

Acknowledging defensive lapses that led to the opposition’s goals and a subsequent drop in performance levels, Peseiro conceded to adjustments being made only after falling behind.

“We conceded goals from some defensive errors and they had a drop in level, against the Ivorians,” he added.

Jose Peseiro’s defense however won’t calm angry Nigerian minds who now have the banter on them.