SUPER Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro has admitted that he expects ahead to Sierra Leone to give his side a tough time in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Monrovia, Liberia on Sunday.
A draw will be enough to see the Super Eagles through to the tournament scheduled for Cote d’Ivoire early next year, but Peseiro has acknowledged that it will not be achieved without a challenge from the Leone Stars.
“It’s going to be a difficult match because in our last three meetings with them, we beat them only once, at home,” Peseiro told reporters after yesterday’s training session at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.
“They drew with the Super Eagles 4-4 here in Nigeria and played 0-0 in Sierra Leone. Everybody thinks it’s easy, but it’s not.”
Peseiro recalled Nigeria’s shock 1-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in Abuja earlier in the qualifying series and insisted that it would be wrong to write off the Leone Stars.
“Even against Guinea-Bissau at home everybody thought it would be easy but the result was different. We had 27 shots on goal but they shot only two times and scored. This can happen in football,” he noted.
“You know the qualities of Sierra Leone and they have to win. If they don’t beat us they cannot qualify. Before our match Guinea-Bissau will have played Sao Tome at home.
“Sierra Leone know they have to beat us if Guinea-Bissau beat Sao Tome. And they’re a good side, they’ve been camping since last week and we have to do our maximum to beat them.”
Guinea-Bissau host Sao Tome tomorrow and victory against the bottom side would take the Djurtus above Nigeria into first place in qualifying Group A and put Sierra Leone under pressure.
As things stand, both Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau can wrap up qualification in this matchday, with the former needing at least a draw against Sierra Leone and the latter a win against Sao Tome and Principe.
Nigeria currently lead the group with nine points, two clear of Guinea-Bissau, with Sierra Leone third on five points and Sao Tome bottom with one point.
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