Peseiro expresses displeasure with Super Eagles over draw against Saudi-Arabia

 

The Super Eagles’ inability to secure more than two goals in their international friendly against Saudi Arabia in Portugal on Friday can be attributed to the lack of a clinical touch among their strikers, according to Coach Jose Peseiro.

 

The Portuguese coach expressed his disappointment over his team’s failure to convert several scoring opportunities and dominate possession against the Green Falcons.

Just as it had occurred in their sole prior encounter 13 years ago, which was also a friendly match, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia couldn’t break the deadlock at the conclusion of their second-ever meeting in Portugal on Friday. The three-time Asian champions managed to equalize in the dying moments of the match with a free-kick from the edge of the box that deflected off Calvin Bassey.

“We need to enhance our finishing,” Peseiro remarked in his post-match interview. “I believe we performed admirably in the first half and could have netted three to five goals, and the second half as well. We produced more chances in the second half, but we require a more ruthless approach within this squad. Nevertheless, I’m content with the outcome.”

In the first half, Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze had opportunities to put the Super Eagles in the lead but were unable to do so. Instead, the Saudis, who had been on a losing streak in their last six matches in all competitions, unexpectedly took the lead on the hour mark. This occurred when goalkeeper Francis Uzoho inadvertently knocked the ball into his own net from a long-range free-kick by Salman Al Faraj on the right flank.

This appeared to boost Nigeria’s prospects, as Iheanacho and Simon repeatedly pressured the Falcons’ defense. Simon played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s equalizing goal when he skillfully set up Victor Boniface to score his first goal for Nigeria from a tight angle in the 73rd minute. Eight minutes later, Iheanacho fired a powerful shot into the net past the flailing hands of the Falcons’ goalkeeper, following a combination play between Moffi and Simon that left the opposing defense in disarray.

The match took place less than 24 hours after the Super Eagles learned that they would be facing hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea in the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations early next year. It came just 48 hours after they adopted “Let’s Do It Again” as their mantra for their quest for the trophy in Ivory Coast.

Next Monday, the Eagles will face the Mambas of Mozambique in another friendly match at the same venue, before entering the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe next month.