Nigeria’s head coach, José Peseiro, praised South Africa’s resilience despite defeating them in a thrilling 2023 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final.
The Super Eagles secured a 4-2 victory on penalties after a captivating 1-1 draw in regular time and extra time at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
Expressing admiration for South Africa’s performance, Peseiro acknowledged the formidable organization of the opposing team, emphasizing their cohesive play.
In post-match remarks, he credited South Africa’s strength to their unity on the field, highlighting the challenges his players faced in overcoming their well-organized opponents.
Peseiro commended his own team, stating that their hard-earned place in the finals was well-deserved. Despite facing difficulties against South Africa, he emphasized the significance of the victory, recognizing the quality of the opposition.
“The players deserve to be in the finals. It’s a very good victory against a good team. I said it earlier that South Africa have the best of organization because they play together and they create more problems for us. It was very difficult to beat them,” he said
Additionally, the Portuguese coach lauded the efforts of South Africa’s coach, Hugo Broos, for assembling a commendable squad and orchestrating their impressive gameplay.
“I think it was very difficult to beat them. Huge congratulations to Hugo Broos, who put this team together. They played well.”
In summary, Peseiro’s reflections highlighted the intense nature of the encounter, acknowledging the prowess of South Africa while expressing pride in his team’s resilience and eventual qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
