Niger captain Moussa Maâzou has made it clear that the Mena are not heading to Ivory Coast merely to make up the numbers. Determined and confident, the experienced forward insists his side is capable of troubling the Elephants and targeting their weaknesses to secure a positive result.
Speaking to the press ahead of the clash, Maâzou acknowledged the strength and history of the Ivorian national team but stressed that the current squad is still rebuilding. According to him, this transition period could offer Niger an opportunity.
“We are going to play against a very good Ivory Coast team. The most important thing for us is to try to play a very good match. Ivory Coast is a very big country and has a very good team but today Ivory Coast is in a new cycle. Proof of this was during the 2019 AFCON, they were a bit lost,” Maâzou emphasized.
Niger recently frustrated the Elephants by denying them qualification for the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN), albeit with squads made up of locally based players. That result raised hopes that the Mena could once again spring a surprise.
However, Maâzou was quick to downplay any direct comparison between the two competitions.
“No, the CHAN is the CHAN, this is the qualification for the AFCON, so it’s another level. I think this match is just as important for us as it is for Ivory Coast,” he said.
Fully aware of the challenge ahead, the Niger captain believes determination and discipline will be key if his team hopes to compete with one of Africa’s traditional powerhouses.
The highly anticipated Ivory Coast–Niger encounter kicks off later today at 7 p.m. GMT.
