‘I don't even want to speak on the ref again’ - Bassey expresses frustration over yellow card against Uganda

Super Eagles claimed a 3-1 win in the Africa Cup of Nations group stage against Uganda on Tuesday.

The win gave Nigeria nine points from their first three games, having already secured qualification to the round of 16.

Eric Chelle’s team have now been paired with Mozambique for the knockout games as they aim for the AFCON title.

Speaking to Sporty TV after the match, the defender questioned the referee's decision, which came in the opening minutes of the contest.

“I don't even want to speak on the ref again," Bassey said, expressing his discontent. "I just feel like it was a bit unfair getting that yellow. I think my yellow was a bit harsh. That's my opinion.”

Despite his personal disappointment, Bassey quickly turned his attention to Nigeria's upcoming knockout stage campaign. "But thank God we got another game," he added. "Just preparing for the next game, which is the round of 16.”

Looking ahead, the defender is confident the team can maintain its strong form. When asked what fans can expect in the next round, he replied, “Same energy. You know, we've shown our quality in this group stage and hopefully we can just keep building on this momentum.”

Bassey also emphasised that the squad treated the final group match against Uganda with utmost seriousness, even though their qualification for the next round was already secured.

“This game was very important for us. Some people might have seen it like, 'yeah, we're already through,'” he explained. 

“But us, the players, we saw it as an opportunity to stamp a mark and show that, regardless of who we play, we're going to give 100%.”