There were three Portuguese coaches on the starting line, and there were still three at the end of the first stage. Rui Vitoria (Egypt), Jose Besero (Nigeria) and Pedro Gonçalves (Angola) have qualified their teams for the round of 16 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, after a very different group stage for each of them.
Rui Vitoria, power is not quiet
In his first experience as a coach, Rui Vitoria did not hesitate to choose the colors he would defend. At the head of the most decorated country on the African continent, the 53-year-old technician has been able to show very encouraging signs so far. He was appointed after his predecessor's poor performance in the African Cup of Nations qualifying stage, and he came to raise the level and qualify his team brilliantly.
Drawn into a tough but accessible group for Egypt, made up of Mozambique, Ghana and Cape Verde, however, the former Benfica coach did not show the same signs of toughness. He surprised at the beginning of the competition by snatching a draw against Mozambique in the final moments of the match (2-2), and was unable to perform better against Ghana on the second day (2-2). Without Mohamed Salah, who was injured against Cape Verde, he thought he had achieved his first victory in stoppage time, before faltering (2-2).
The Egyptian national team occupies second place in Group B with only 3 points, and qualifies for the round of 16, but it will certainly have to adapt without its best players until the end of the tournament. They will face the second group of Group F (Morocco, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) in the next round.
José Pedero, The Simple One
Expected to turn things around after a complicated start, Jose Peseiro showed huge signs of excitement in Nigeria's first match against Equatorial Guinea (1-1). In response, the Portuguese disrupted his initial plans and changed his team's formation from 4-2-3-1 to 3-4-3.
This selection, which focuses on defence, has been heavily criticized in light of the team's attacking arsenal Super Eagles. However, Nigeria has since found its way to victory. On the smallest of margins, first against Côte d'Ivoire (0 – 1) and then Guinea Bissau (0 – 1), Victor Osimhen's teammates qualified for the rest of the tournament and will face Cameroon in the round of 16 (01/27).
Pedro Gonçalves, the surprise
Before the start of the competition, Pedro Goncalves' previous results did not indicate such a group stage. The local press even announced last September that the 47-year-old coach was in the process of leaving and that a meeting had been held to leave the squad.
Finally, he retained his position, and he and his men were able to surprise the continent as soon as they entered the battle by holding on to Algeria (1-1). the Palanca Negras Then they beat Mauritania the next day (2-3), thanks to Gilson Dala, who scored a wonderful double.
The Angolan national team had already qualified for eighth place before its match against Burkina Faso, and did not take half measures and rose to first place in the group by winning two goals to zero. In the next round, they will face a qualified team from among the best two-thirds.
