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… We respect Super Eagles but we don’t fear them – Elephants captain
Super Eagles coach, José Peseiro has promised his team will make the most of the chances they create so that they beat hosts, Cote d’Ivoire, today to get their AFCON campaign back on track after a disappointing draw with Equatorial Guinea.
“We have what it takes to win the game tomorrow and there’s nothing to change in my team because we created a lot of goal-scoring opportunities in our game against Equatorial Guinea and we hope to utilise the opportunities this time and score goals,” he promised.
Cote d’Ivoire captain Max Alain Gradel, who has 105 caps and was part of the Elephants’s squad that won the trophy in Equatorial Guinea in 2015, was also confident of victory today.
“We are Côte d’Ivoire. We respect all our opponents. But we fear nobody. We will do what we have to do,” he declared.
“It is a special moment for us to play the Africa Cup of Nations in our home, with the support of our people. We will do everything to make the people proud. We have super players in the squad, especially for what they bring to the group.
“It is a decisive match; it is an important match. We know what we have to do.”
Coach Jean-Louis Gasset added: “We are relieved; the pressure was so strong. We had seven players who started the match against Guinea Bissau who were playing in their first AFCON. Not everything went well, but we are relieved.”
This is one of the most anticipated matches of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday, in a 60,000-capacity stadium that organisers say will be filled to the brim just before kick-off.
