'We were on the verge of losing' - Peseiro reveals Super Eagles worst game at 2023 AFCON

Speaking ahead of Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations final against Ivory Coast, manager Jose Peseiro has confessed that the Super Eagles played their worst game of the competition in the semifinal win against South Africa. 

In a dramatic game at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, Nigeria edged a nail-biting encounter with Kelechi Iheanacho scoring the decisive kick in the shootout after both teams could not be separated in 120 minutes of pulsating football. 

William Troost-Ekong converted a spot kick won by Victor Osimhen midway through the second half but Bafana Bafana managed to beat a  Nigeria defence that kept four consecutive clean sheets, with Teboho Mokoena scoring from the spot in the 90th minute to take the game to extra time.

Nigeria thought they had booked their place in the final with a second goal from Osimhen but his effort was ruled out by the referee, who instead awarded a penalty to Bafana Bafana for a foul committed by Alhassan Yusuf in the build-up. 

South Africa could have qualified straightaway for the final but goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali  made an astonishing save to deny Mokoena from a free-kick that would have sealed the game in second half stoppage time. 

Asked to share his experience of going from celebrating to a goal to having it canceled and a penalty awarded against the Super Eagles, Peseiro told SPORT  : "It was crazy. I think it was worse for the players. After that we had some very bad minutes, the worst in the competition.

"We lost focus of the game and were on the verge of losing. However, I am happy because after that hard moment the team stood up once again. That answer gave me confidence."

All four of Ivory Coast's previous Africa Cup of Nations finals have ended goalless and gone to penalties with the Elephants winning on two occasions 1992 and 2015.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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