Jean-Louis Gasset: ‘Nigeria opted for a deep defensive approach’

On Thursday, Cote d’Ivoire endured a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Nigeria in their second Group A fixture of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023.

According to coach Jean-Louis Gasset, the Elephants encountered an ultra-defensive system implemented by the Nigerians.

“It was a very physical match; Nigeria chose to play very low with a five-person defense to exploit counterattacks with their star striker. It was a tightly contested match,” he remarked.

Additionally, he criticized his players for their inability to respond to the physical challenge imposed by José Peseiro’s team. “We didn’t give the impression of being able to compete physically,” noted the French technician.

Despite this lackluster performance, Gasset maintains confidence in his players, anticipating improvement.

“We knew that we had a young team in terms of experience but not in terms of quality. I have confidence in this group; I know that it is young and tender; it simply requires psychological work,” stated the coach.

The upcoming third match against Equatorial Guinea next Monday holds decisive importance.

Gasset hopes to regain Sébastien Haller and Simon Adingra, two key players who have been notably absent from his team since the start of the competition.

“We are going to prepare for a win. I hope our two injured players can play at least part of the match,” he concluded.