By Enitan Abdutawab
Tanzania head coach, Manuel Gomandi, says his team has put a tactical plan in place to neutralise Nigeria striker, Victor Osimhen, ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations clash, while warning that the Super Eagles’ attacking depth remains a major threat.
Speaking at the press conference on the eve of the group-stage encounter, Gomandi said Tanzania’s preparations have focused on limiting Osimhen’s influence but stressed that Nigeria’s attacking options make the task more complex.
His words: “We have for sure a tactical plan to try to neutralise Victor Osimhen, but it’s not only him. You have players like Chukwueze, like Lookman. If one is neutralised, the other is attacking.”
Nigeria head into the match as one of the match’s favourites, boasting a frontline packed with pace and power, qualities that Gomandi admitted leave little room for error for his side.
“Our mentality is to try to play and attack as well. We need to be tactically disciplined, and there should not be any room for mistakes, because if you don’t avoid such mistakes, the qualities in the Nigerian team can punish you,” he added.
Despite acknowledging the difficulty of the task, the Tanzanian coach expressed confidence in his squad’s readiness for the fixture, describing the match as a test his players are eager to embrace.
“We are more than ready for tomorrow’s game. We have a very difficult game, but it’s a nice challenge for us,” Gomandi said.
The encounter will see Tanzania attempt to contain Nigeria’s attacking prowess while executing their own attacking approach, as both teams look to make an early statement in their opening Group C game at the ongoing AFCON 2025.
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