AFCON 2023: Peseiro shifts focus to Angola game after beating Cameroon

Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro has shifted his focus to next Friday’s quarterfinal clash against the Palancas Negras of Angola after leading Nigeria to a deserved 2-0 defeat of Cameroon in their round of 16 clash on Saturday.

“We will now focus on our next match against Angola, which is having an excellent tournament. We must take this opponent seriously, so we will continue to
sleep early and eat pasta (laughs). Jokes aside, all the teams at this stage are capable of winning the tournament,” said Peseiro after the match.

Nigeria’s pressing game caused problems for Cameroon from the off, and Nigeria thought they had taken the lead inside eight minutes.

A Moses Simon shot was saved by Ondoa but the ball broke to Ajayi and the West Bromwich Albion defender found the net despite the goalkeeper getting a touch.

Wild celebrations ensued, only for the Moroccan referee to come across to the VAR monitor and disallow the goal because Ajayi was deemed offside and
interfering when the initial shot came in.

Not to be discouraged, Nigeria did not stop running, with the tireless Victor Osimhen setting the example.

He provoked the opening goal, dispossessing Oumar Gonzalez after a throw-in had been played back towards the Cameroon defender, and then unselfishly setting
up Lookman.

The Atalanta forward’s shot was straight at Ondoa, but the goalkeeper could only help the ball on its way.

Osimhen slumped to the turf on the half-time whistle, but the African footballer of the year discovered the energy to go again after the restart.

Peseiro has stressed that the priority for his team has been to make sure they don’t concede goals, and they stood firm despite having goalkeeper Stanley
Nwabili stretchered off late on.