‘It wasn’t good enough’ - Mozambique star laments heavy defeat against Super Eagles

Mozambique had advanced to the knockout stage with hopes of building on a surprising group-stage win over Gabon. 

However, when faced with the Super Eagles of Nigeria, they were unable to handle superior quality and efficiency.

They suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat in the round of 16, which saw them get eliminated from the competition. 

Amade, a key player throughout the tournament, conceded that his team was simply outclassed by one of the continent's football powerhouses.

Speaking after the match, the 26-year-old did not hold back in his critique of Mozambique's performance, admitting they fell far short of the standard required to challenge a team of Nigeria's calibre.

"We have to be at a high level—100 percent—to compete against big football nations like Nigeria," Amade stated. 

"It was too easy for them to create chances, and that’s not good enough if you want to play for a win. From the start until the end, it wasn’t good enough, and Nigeria deserved to win."

The midfielder emphasised that the Mambas had entered the tournament with genuine ambition, making the nature of their elimination particularly painful to accept.

"We didn’t come here to lose. We came to compete, to be aggressive and to try to create chances," he explained. "It’s hard for me to accept, especially because it wasn’t near enough in every aspect of the game."

While giving credit to Nigeria's strength, Amade insisted that Mozambique must demand more from themselves on the international stage.

"They have good players and a good team. They always have their chances, and they used them well," he said. 

"Even if Nigeria is a big football country, we still believe we can compete, but today they played it well and deserved to win."