Africa Cup of Nations 2013: Antunes delighted with Cape Verde draw
Africa Cup of Nations 2013: Lucio Antunes believes draws are massive results for Cape Verde after earning point against Morocco
Cape Verde coach Lucio Antunes was delighted as his side shared the spoils with Morocco in Group A and kept their Africa Cup of Nations dream alive.
The Blue Sharks were denied their first Nations Cup victory when Luis Platini’s first-half goal was cancelled out by substitute Youssef El-Arabi with ten minutes remaining in Durban.
After hard-earned draws against host nation South Africa and 2004 runners-up Morocco, Antunes stressed the importance of these results for the small island nation.
“I am very happy with this result, a great one for our country,” said Antunes. “We [got] another draw, but we are still alive.
“My players worked very well and proved they have qualities.”
Morocco coach Rachid Taoussi claimed the Atlas Lions did not underrate the challenge posed by a Cape Verde side four places higher in the Fifa rankings.
And Taoussi –who was also part of the Morocco coaching set-up in the nineties – bemoaned his side’s costly first half errors.
“We did not underestimate our opponents, but we took time to adapt to their style and made individual mistakes in the first half,” said Taoussi.
“The second half was better and I have hope for the next game.”
