Mozambique Coach Conde Outlines ‘Three-Way Strategy’ to Stun Super Eagles

As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations shifts into the high-intensity knockout phase, Mozambique’s head coach, Chiquinho Conde, has revealed the mental and tactical blueprint his side will use to confront Nigeria on Monday. During a poised pre-match press conference in Morocco, the 60-year-old tactician acknowledged that while the Super Eagles enter the Round of 16 as the clear favorites, his “Mambas” are ready to embrace a “kill-or-be-killed” mentality. To navigate the daunting challenge, Conde insisted his team would operate through three core principles: humility, tranquility, and a profound sense of responsibility.

The Mozambican leader, who has overseen a historic transformation of the national team, was candid about the strength of Eric Chelle’s Nigerian side. He admitted that the Super Eagles’ dominant group-stage performance earned them their status as frontrunners, but he remained steadfast in the belief that Mozambique has become a “competent force” capable of punishing top-tier opponents. For Conde, the secret to an upset lies in maintaining composure—or “tranquility”—under the expected barrage of Nigerian offensive pressure, ensuring that his players do not lose their tactical shape in the heat of the moment.

Reflecting on their journey so far, Conde noted that his team had shown flashes of brilliance against Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon, only to be undone by “failures in the details.” He described the upcoming knockout tie as a different beast entirely, categorizing it as “kill-kill”—a do-or-die scenario where previous mistakes must be buried. By approaching the game with “responsibility,” Conde expects his defenders to maintain a heightened focus for the full ninety minutes, particularly when tasked with marking a Nigerian frontline that finished the group stages as the tournament’s most prolific.

The coach’s emphasis on “humility” serves as a strategic psychological tool, intended to keep his players grounded while allowing the pressure of expectation to weigh solely on the Nigerians. Mozambique’s qualification for the Round of 16 is already a milestone, and Conde believes that playing with a sense of “respect” for the occasion will actually liberate his team to play their best football. “We have come to this stage with respect,” he told journalists, “and now we are going to show what we can do.”

Back in Maputo, the mood is one of quiet optimism, as the Mambas seek to record what would be the biggest shock of the tournament so far. Conde’s leadership, which recently earned him an honorary doctorate in sports science, has unified a squad that was once seen as AFCON outsiders. With the “three ways” clearly defined, the Mozambican camp appears to be a picture of calm before the storm, waiting for the chance to prove that tactical discipline can indeed bridge the gap between an underdog and a giant.