Bolaji Jimoh 
While Nigeria had the best defence during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire, their manager, José Peseiro, has urged his team to be more clinical upfront.
With a 1-0 victory over Angola, the Super Eagles achieved their fourth consecutive clean sheet in the competition, sending them into the semifinals.
Nigeria is making progress in the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 quietly and without much fanfare. They play South Africa on Wednesday.
Two more games stand between the coach and his team and Nigeria’s fourth victory.
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Nigeria’s defensive resilience is commendable, but Peseiro wants to see progress in attack.
The Portuguese believe Nigeria aren’t making the most of their talent, as they have only scored six goals in their last five games.
“Once again we played without conceding, and scored a goal, but I would have liked more. The team could have created more opportunities.
“We are a quality team, Angola was very good, but we had more luck. I remain satisfied with my players but want us to be more efficient,” he said.
Injuries have prevented some players from creating opportunities, the manager acknowledged.
“We’re missing some key creators like Iheanacho and Aribo, so it’s been hard. But others must now step up,” he added.
Finding a clinical edge could be crucial as Nigeria looks to win an AFCON for the fourth time, Peseiro knows.
They would get closer to this significant objective if they defeated South Africa on Wednesday at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké (5:00 PM GMT).
The Super Eagles’ frugal defence has allowed them to achieve ground-out results.
However, Peseiro has the potential to take Nigeria back to the top of African football if they can find their scoring formula.
