New Telegraph

Peseiro admits tactical blunder against Mexico

Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, has admitted that he committed some tactical blunders in his first match with Mexico at the AT&T Stadium in Texas the United States last Sunday.

 

Mexico defeated Nigeria 2-1 inside in Peseiro first outing with Nigeria and the Portuguese said he lost the match in the first half. Peseior told journalists in a post-match interview: “We cannot hide it; we played a very bad first half.” “We had five players in defence, and they had two players playing forward and the two players controlled the five.

 

They were pressing and we did not solve it. We cannot have that. “We decided that if the two was controlling the three, then we have to make it a four and have more control in midfield.

 

“And it helped us take control of the game because as a coach, my philosophy is that I like control, to control the game.” The Eagles did not muster a single shot on target in that opening half.

 

A change of strategy to a back four and another four in midfield, however, improved the Eagles’ fortunes, with Feyenoord’s forward Cyriel Dessers heading home Nigeria’s equaliser minutes into the second half. But Peseiro admits he liked his side’s second- half performance more than the first, noting the reasoning behind his change of tactics.

The set-up failed spectacularly as Mexico found joy through the Eagles’ midfield, blunted the Nigerian attack, and created the better chances, taking the lead in the 12th minute through Santiago Gimenez.

 

An unfortunate Troost-Ekong own-goal handed returned the advantage to Mexico and sealed their second consecutive victory over the West Africans. The Super Eagles will next face Ecuador in the second of two friendly matches in the United States before returning to Nigeria for two AFCON-qualifying games against Sierra Leone and Mauritius in June.

 

 

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