Angola Coach Pedro Goncalves has given reasons why his team lost to the Super Eagles of Nigeria on Friday in the quarter-finals of the 2023 AFCON.
Speaking after the match, Angola Coach, Goncalves said Nigeria had a very strong squad and never traveled outside Abidjan.
“It was a demanding game. Trying to mourn this defeat is not a good attitude to have. Our strikers didn’t perform. Nigeria was more efficient.”
He also said his team suffered from fatigue after playing in three different cities, unlike the Super Eagles who had been in Abidjan for all their games.
“Nigeria has never left Abidjan since the start of the competition but we (Angola) have played in about three cities. Truthfully, fatigue also played a path in our performance but it is still no excuse. Let’s just commend ourselves for getting this far.”
Ademola Lookman scored the only goal as Nigeria edged out Angola to book their place in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
The Atalanta winger struck four minutes before half-time in Abijdan, turning in Moses Simon’s cross to book a last-four date with either Cape Verde or South Africa.