Super Eagles coach José Peseiro is confident of a positive result and has defended his team selection ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea‑Bissau in Abuja on Friday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium. Nigeria sit atop Group A with six points, and a win would lift the Super Eagles to nine points as they aim to secure three vital points when they travel to Guinea‑Bissau for the return leg on Tuesday.
The Eagles opened the campaign with a 2‑1 victory over Sierra Leone and then thrashed São Tomé and Príncipe 10‑0. Their rivals, the Djurtus, recorded a 5‑1 win against São Tomé and Príncipe and drew 2‑2 with Sierra Leone.
Speaking at a press conference before the match, the 62‑year‑old coach said the players he selected for the qualifiers are the best available, even though some do not feature regularly for their clubs. “It is not easy to build a national team if you change the squad every time, because we need enough practice in camp to develop our ideas, organization, defensive shape and spirit,” Peseiro told the media. “There are many quality players; I choose anyone because I believe they can perform better than the others. You need to create a spirit within the team.”
He added, “I like all my players and understand everyone’s preferences. If I asked the public to pick 20 players, they would choose who they like, but I am the coach and I must select, in my mind, the best players for our team. If I asked 200 million Nigerians, they could pick for themselves, but it is my job.” Peseiro emphasized his familiarity with the squad, saying, “I know these players, we appreciate them, and I have visited many of them. If I choose them now, it is because I believe in them more than many others.”
Since taking charge of the Super Eagles on 15 May 2022, the 62‑year‑old has overseen six matches in all competitions, recording two wins, three defeats and one draw.
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