Don’t neglect experienced players in Eagles, Ighalo warns Peseiro
Former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo has advised coach Jose Peseiro not to shun the services of reliable experienced players in the Super Eagles squad.
The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations top scorer opined that the Super Eagles failed to live up to expectations at the 2021 AFCON because they lacked a leader on the pitch.
The inclusion of Sivasspor star Ahmed Musa on the roster for the recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone did not go down well with fans and pundits alike, who felt that Victor Boniface and Gift Orban deserved a place in the squad ahead of Nigeria’s most capped player in history.
Manager Jose Peseiro had some explanations to do with regards to the invitation of Musa in the build-up to the clash against the Leone Stars, stressing that the Belgian–based players are not flank players like the former CSKA Moscow star.
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In their latest international against Sierra Leone, the Super Eagles players frustrated the fans back home after surrendering a two-goal and were on the brink of earning only a point from the encounter, but Kelechi Iheanacho saved the day by scoring an injury time winner.
Ighalo revealed that Super Eagles captain for the matchday five Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Kenneth Omeruo warned his teammates to calm down the game when they were 2-0 up instead of going for personal glory.
Speaking to Elegbete TV Sports, Ighalo said: “I was talking to Omeruo when he was here, I told him the players increased our anxiety after that second goal.
“He said, ‘we are winning 2-0 and we thought we had qualified’. He was telling them to calm the game down, ‘why do you all want to go and score, calm the game down’. That’s experience.
“When you are playing and winning 2-0, why are you rushing to score. Sierra Leone need to score two goals before they can equalize or even win so kill the game.
“These young boys want to score goals, they want to do well but the experienced players will tell you to calm the game.
“Omeruo said he was telling some of them to kill the game so experience anywhere plays a big factor.”