Held in check on Sunday in their first Group A game of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023, Nigeria failed to start in the fashion they would have loved.

But beyond the slightly disappointing result, Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro is satisfied with the performance of his players.

“We hoped to win this match and did everything to win. Our team was better than Equatorial Guinea, but we lacked luck,” he said.

“I am not happy. I deserved to win, but this draw doesn’t suit us. Our team created a lot of chances, but we didn’t score. We hope that we will score next time, even with fewer opportunities. We have to improve our finishing,” he said.

Nigeria will face hosts Côte d’Ivoire for their second game. The match scheduled for Thursday at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Ebimpe at 17h00 GMT will be decisive for the Super Eagles, who have almost no room for error.