Mozambique midfielder Guima has warned the Super Eagles that while his side may lack big-name stars, their true strength lies in their ability to play as a cohesive unit, Soccernet.ng reports.
On Monday, the Mambas of Mozambique will face three-time African champions Nigeria at the Complexe Sportif De Fes in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025).
The Super Eagles enter the match as overwhelming favorites, having topped their group with a perfect record of three wins.
Nigeria also boasts a superior pedigree in terms of historical achievements and overall squad quality; as such, a Nigerian victory is widely expected.
Nonetheless, football remains an unpredictable game, and the outcomes can be surprising at times. Also, the Super Eagles have occasionally struggled to see off teams of Mozambique’s stature in the past.
Ahead of the fixture, Guima — who started two of Mozambique’s three group-stage matches — stated that the primary attribute making them special.
“We have our weapons as a team and we are working to beat Nigeria,” Guima told Soccernet.ng.
“Our team is together and I think it can be the difference between us and other teams because we are a very good group.
“We don’t play as individual players, we play as a team. That’s why our national team is growing and moving up.
Guima will likely start against Nigeria on Monday, and he will be looking to spur his team to success.
Despite Guima’s comments, Mozambique’s danger man is Geny Catamo. If Chelle can map out a plan to stifle the Sporting CP star, they Super Eagles should be good for the win.
Super Eagles Must Be Wary of Mozambique’s Threat
The Super Eagles are massive favourites going into the round of 16 against Mozambique, but they still have to be careful against the Mambas.
They enter this game battle-tested, as they faced Ivory Coast and Cameroon in the group stages. The fact that they even defeated Gabon and finished third means that they could pull off something against Nigeria.
Although Mozambique lost to Ivory Coast and Cameroon, those fixtures would have provided coach Chiquinho Conde and his players with some important lessons for the fixture against Nigeria. As such, Eric Chelle and his boys have to be wary of them.
Nigeria will be hoping to wrap up the fixture in 90 minutes so they can get adequate rest and prepare for the quarterfinals.