After watching Nigeria fight back to grind a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in their AFCON Group A opener yesterday, German coach Gernot Rohr said the Super Eagles will need efficiency and determination to overcome hosts, Cote d’Ivoire, on Thursday.
Rohr did admit that the Super Eagles deserved the maximum three points against the Nzalang National, he noted that the coach Jose Peseiro’s side were undone by some heroics of opposing goalkeeper Jesus Owono.
“The AFCON is going well and Nigeria deserved to win against Equatorial Guinea but for man of the match performance by Jesus Owono,” The Cheetahs of Benin’s coach who is on punditry with Ivory TV, told NationSport from Abidjan.
He added: “Nigeria need victory (against Cote d’Ivoire) but they will need efficiency, realism, determination (to beat the hosts),” he added.
Matches between the two West African giants are usually close to call and Thursday’s Group A tie shouldn’t be any different.
The Elephants who are seeking their third AFCON title, beat Guinea Bissau 2-0 on Saturday to dictate the pace in Group A with three points; consequently the encounter at the Olympic Stadium Alassane Ouattara against one-point Super Eagles complete with 2023 African Footballer of the Year who rescued a point against Equatorial Guinea, would be a titanic battle.
