Sunday, October 4, 2026

AFCON 2023: We’ll play Nigeria with respect, says Cameroon coach

“We will stick to the positive, we are trying to improve our game daily. Nigeria is a good team.”

• January 26, 2024

The coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Rigobert Song, said that his team will play the Super Eagles of Nigeria on Saturday with respect.

Song said this on Friday in Abidjan at the team’s news conference ahead of the round of 16 of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.

The former Cameroon captain explained that Nigeria has strong players individually and collectively but they will approach the game with all seriousness.

“We will stick to the positive, we are trying to improve our game daily. Nigeria is a good team.

“It is not going to be easy, but we are going to take them seriously. When we play a team that is serious, we will be serious too,” Song said.

The Cameroonian coach said they are going to be organised, tactically and mentally, because they don’t have the luxury to make mistakes anymore.

“We have conceded lots of goals but we will find a way to concede less tomorrow. We need to believe in ourselves to give the best we can,” he said.

On his part, Jose Peseiro said it is going to be a tough match because they are against eight-time champions, adding that both Cameroon and Nigeria are big teams.

“We know what we must do if we want to beat Cameroon; we don’t want to concede goals; at least we must score one.

“Our objective is to win the match, we know the power of the opponents, the quality of the players and coach. We believe too much in us” Peseiro said.

FC Nantes winger Moses Simon, who accompanied Peseiro to the news conference, said he and his teammates will give their all to win on Saturday.

(NAN)

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