A Mozambique midfielder expressed confidence Sunday that his side could stun Nigeria in their Africa Cup of Nations last-16 encounter by capitalizing on vulnerabilities in the Super Eagles’ lineup, as the underdogs gear up for their maiden knockout appearance in the continental tournament.
Ricardo Guimarães, a key figure in the Mambas’ defense, highlighted team cohesion as a potential edge in Monday’s clash at Fez Stadium in Morocco, where Mozambique faces the three-time champions after advancing as one of the top third-placed teams.
“We know that Nigeria have a good team, but we have our weapons too as a team, and we are working to beat Nigeria,” Guimarães said.
“Every team has its weak points, and we have identified them to beat Nigeria. It’s a knockout game and maybe emotions can define the game. Our team is together and that can be the difference between us and other teams. That is why we are improving gradually. We have made history before and we are making history now.”
The comments come amid heightened motivation for Mozambique, with President Daniel Francisco Chapo offering a bonus of 500,000 meticais (about $6,800) per player and staff if they progress to the quarter-finals by ousting Nigeria
Guimarães downplayed the incentive’s novelty, noting: “It’s always motivation; it’s nothing special, it’s something that has been defined.”
Nigeria, who cruised through Group C with maximum points, hold a dominant head-to-head record against Mozambique, unbeaten in five meetings including a 3-0 AFCON victory in 2010.
The Mambas secured their spot with a 3-2 triumph over Gabon after losses to Ivory Coast and Cameroon, marking a historic milestone in the 2025 edition hosted by Morocco.
