AFCON: Nigeria clash won’t be easy… they have a strong team, says Equatorial Guinea coach

Juan Micha, the Equatorial Guinea head coach, has admitted that his country’s opening match of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) against Nigeria on Sunday will not be an easy task.

The 48-year-old registered his fears during a media briefing on Friday ahead of the tournament.

Micha, however, said his team will not abandon their style despite the “difficult encounter” against the Super Eagles.

“I cannot predict what will happen,” he told Filgoal.

“But I promise everyone that we will give everything we have and play our way.

“Facing Nigeria in the first match will not be easy. They have a strong team and have reached a high level of technical capabilities, so we will try to confront them with all our strength, and it is important that we start the first match without losing.”

Equatorial Guinea are in Group A where they will face Ivory Coast, the hosts, and Guinea-Bissau after their match against Nigeria.

Micha also said he is looking to improve on his team’s quarter-final place at Cameroon in 2021.

“The group is strong. There is Côte d’Ivoire, the hosts, and also Nigeria and Guinea Bissau, but if you want to score, you face all the difficulties in front of you, and you try to overcome them,” he said.

“I am certainly happy to be present again in the African Cup of Nations after the 2021 edition, in which we advanced to the quarter-finals against Senegal, which they won. Therefore, we seek to improve our position in this group and achieve a new achievement.”

Equatorial Guinea were beaten 3-1 by Senegal, eventual champions, at AFCON 2021.