ROHR REVEALS: Eagles played BEST EVER 45 minutes
Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has not only hailed the overall performance of his team against host Ukraine in Tuesday’s International friendly but also called it the best ever 45 minutes played by the team since he took over as the handler of the team.
The excited Rohr who was fully satisfied with the team he also tagged “the youngest team ever paraded in any international game”, hailed the contributions of Captain Troost Ekong, Alex Iwobi, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Samuel Kalu, Olaoluwa Aina, Jamilu Collins.
Rohr also showered encomiums the debutants like Joseph Aribo of Glasgow Rangers, Scotland, Joshua Maja of Girondins Bordeaux, France, Emmanuel Dennis of Club Brugge, Belgium and Anderson Esiti of PAOK Salonica of Greece. The Franco-German Coach gave special kudos to Aribo and Maja and expect them to continue to grow and gel in Eagles’ fold.
The Eagles Manager in an exclusive chat with Sportinglife.ng from Dnipro Ukraine Tuesday night disclosed “Our match against Ukraine was the best first 45 minutes I have ever had with the Nigerian team since I was appointed the Coach.
“It was wonderful football, explosive football, 45 minutes one-touch football, fantastic football. The questionable penalty almost marred the game. We had two wingers in Chukwueze, Kalu who were on fire. We had Osimhen who was also in a terrific form.
“Everybody is young. Chukwueze is 20, Osimhen is 21, Kalu is 22 years old.
“Then we have this new player Aribo who scored a wonderful first goal after a wonderful contribution from Kalu. Aribo is just 23, a left footed midfielder. He had food harmony already with Etebo in the midfield.
“Alex Iwobi was fantastic again playing from number 10 position. He ran so much in the game that he was tired in the second half. Francis Uzoho had a good match too now playing in his club. It was a different situation. He is confident and has this rhythm of competition.
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“We had also Semi Ajayi behind who made a good comeback. We missed a lot of regular players in the team like team Captain Ahmed Musa, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Shehu Abdullahi of course. But this youngest Nigerian national team that played against Ukraine on Tuesday did very, very well”, Rohr told Sportinglife.ng exclusively from Dnipro, Ukraine.