AFCON 2023: Guinea Bissau star Zinho Gano bracing up for Nigeria challenge

By Saheed Afolabi

Guinea Bissau star, Zinho Gano is excited on the opportunity of facing Nigeria at the Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) in Cote D’Ivoire.

The West Africans were drawn against the three-time African champions as well as Equatorial Guinea and hosts Cote d’Ivoire as they will open their campaign against the hosts inside the 60,000-capacity Olympic side arena.

Gano was the highest goal scorer for Guinea Bissau during the AFCON qualification series and has revealed that they won’t rule out the possibility of springing surprises in group A with same numerical strength.

“We know that these are very big countries, but this is an opportunity for us to show that we are there too. We have a good group and we are also here for the fourth time, it shows that we are worth something too,” Gano told CAFOnline.com.

“Of course! We didn’t even win a match. So our first goal is to win a match and then, to manage to get past the first stage. I know its a difficult group with Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria but we will see. In football, anything is possible.

“No, no pressure. On the contrary, for us it is an honor to play a match like this. The opening match is something special, there will be maybe at least 60,000 people in the stadium. I am a professional footballer, so it is for this type of match that we practice this profession. I’m really looking forward to playing a match like this.

“Everyone must believe that anything is possible. Even for this opening match. With opening matches, there are always surprises and why not, with us. We can win like everyone else, even if it’s Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria or Senegal. The match is 11 against 11 and anything is possible.”