Why Ahmed Musa Played Against Lesotho – Gernot Rohr

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has defended the decision to play clubless Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa in the final Group L AFCON qualifiers match against Lesotho.

Ahmed Musa has been without a club since Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr terminated his contract in October 2020 but was invited for the final two games, a decision Rohr spoke about before the games saying he was called as the captain of the team but won’t play.

“We’re missing a lot of wingers,” Rohr told NFF media. “Kalu, Simon Moses, Iwobi in the first game and Musa not playing in a club. Eventually he could play because we had 21 players and with Musa 22. So he could come in, he was there, he was fit, he passed the physical test.

“Musa was in good fitness, there was no reason not to allow him to come in to play. He’s the captain of the team and he finished captain on the field. We also want it to help him to find a good club.”

Musa earned his 96th cap for the Super Eagles after coming on for Kelechi Iheanacho in the 86th minute and is the only player to have played in Lagos before in the current Eagles camp. The Lesotho game was the Eagles first match in Lagos in 10 years, the first competitive in about 20years.