Angola's coach, Pedro Goncalves, has attributed his team's 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final loss to Nigeria to fatigue and a disparity in experience, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Goncalves pointed out that the Super Eagles, who secured a 1-0 victory with a first-half goal from Ademola Lookman, benefited from being camped in Abidjan throughout the tournament, while his team had to travel and play in three different cities.
“It is true that we played against a very strong opponent. But the Nigerian players were fresher than ours, and their physical display made them able to create more chances than us,” Goncalves said.
Additionally, he highlighted the contrast in competition levels, with most Nigerian players participating in high-profile European leagues, whereas many of his players are based in the Angolan domestic league.
“Most of their players take part in very high-level competitions, and they have never gone out of Abidjan. But we’ve gone to three different cities in the course of this tournament, so this triggered fatigue for my players.
“Also, most of my players play in the home league, and some of them aren’t experienced playing in big competitions like the AFCON.”
Nigeria await the winner between Carpe Verde and South Africa for their semi final encounter.
By Olujimi Dare Ogun