Super Eagles boss Rohr promises better performances
Following Nigeria’s qualification to the World Cup play-offs after a 1-1 draw with Cape Verde in Lagos on Tuesday, head coach Gernot Rohr has assured supporters that the Super Eagles will get better soon.
Questions were raised about the team’s relatively poor form in front of goal all through the qualifiers. In six group stage matches, the Super Eagles managed to score only nine goals.
Supporters had hoped to see improvements in attack with the inclusion of veteran striker Odion Ighalo in the starting XI against Cape Verde, but the team registered just a goal in 90 minutes, courtesy of a first-minute strike from Victor Osimhen.
Rohr said patience will be needed and added that Ighalo, who’s been away from the Super Eagles since 2019, needs “a little time to find the harmony.”
“You need a little patience with Ighalo,” Rohr told reporters after the match at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. “He’s not been with us for more than one year. He needs a little time to find the harmony.
“I think we saw interesting things together with [Victor] Osimhen. And on the side of Ighalo, Osimhen will grow and will learn a lot.
“And I think the chances we had were also coming with the help of Ighalo,” the German coach continued. “So let’s have a little patience. Give us a little time to have the team together and the goals will come again.”
Nigeria will now shift her focus to the 2022 African Cup of Nations, which begins in January. Rohr noted that there’s reason to be optimistic as some of the players, who returned from injury recently, will soon rediscover their best form.
“After this group stage, we can be optimistic. Now we have the time to prepare for the AFCON,” he said.
“Some of our players are coming back from injury – [Wilfred] Ndidi, [Samuel] Chukwueze. They were not really in the rhythm of the competition, so let’s give a little time to our players and the team will be better and better.”
The 2022 African Cup of Nations will hold in Cameroon from January 9 to 6 February, while the World Cup play-offs will take place in March.