AFCON: Jose Peseiro demands full concentration from players, predicts tough clash against South Africa

The head coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria has predicted a tough between his West African sides and South Africa in the semi-final encounter.

Nigeria and South Africa will lock horns in the winner-take-all at the Stade de la Paix on Wednesday night after the Super Eagles roasted the Antelopes of Angola in the quarterfinal tie.

The Bafana Bafana emerged as a team to look out for in the tournament after they won four consecutive games and dumped out Cape Verde in their last match.

Speaking ahead of the Wednesday clash, the head coach of the Nigerian team commended his players for defying the odds to make it thus far in the competition that has been described as one of the most keenly contested in recent years after the likes of the defending champions Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, and others crashed out early.

He however called on his team not to underrate their opponents as he demanded full concentration on the field of play when the West African team played their counterpart from the Southern African region.

Peseiro said, “We’re doing a good job. Good organisation and good commitment, we play like a team together,” the 63-year-old Portuguese coach said.

“It will be a tough match against a good national team.

“We want to beat South Africa to reach the final. For that we have to play a high-level match against a South African team who eliminated Morocco, who did a fantastic World Cup.

“We must play 100% or more to beat a very good team.”

Nigeria and South Africa last met in the semi-finals at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 2000, with the Super Eagles running out 2-0 winners thanks to a brace from Tijani Babangida.