Afcon 2023: Terem Moffi eager to record winning debut against Cote d’Ivoire

OGC Nice striker Terem Moffi is ready for his maiden appearance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and is optimistic the former champions will soar past hosts Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday.

In his absence, the Super Eagles started their 2023 AFCON campaign on a poor note, after playing out a 1-1 draw against tournament underdogs from Central Africa.

With Cote d’Ivoire, riding high from their 2-0 triumph over Guinea-Bissau, and currently sitting atop of Group A, the France-based star said the players know the pressure and the need to silence their hosts on their home ground.

“The pressure is real, and it is a big competition. We know what is at stake, what Nigerians want, and what we want as well,” he told media.

“After the matchday one, it wasn’t like we played bad football, we just didn’t win the game. I think we had a lot of opportunities.

“Watching the game again, you could see that we had a lot of good opportunities. We did a lot of good things and we just have to stay positive for the future games.

“We are looking forward to this. We know how important it is for us, for the fans as well, and for Nigerians. We are going there believing and staying positive.

“Talk is cheap, to be honest. I could say we are going to win the game, but it is not always like that. However, we will try to give our 100 percent and walk off the pitch with our heads held high.

“Every footballer wants to win trophies and I think everyone here in the camp wants to win. With this mentality, we could do something.”

A victory for the Elephants against Super Eagles would qualify them for the tournament’s second round.

In contrast, the Super Eaglea must avoid a loss in this encounter as it could jeopardize their AFCON journey, pushing them perilously close to elimination.