Head coach of Nigeria, Gernot Rohr, has explained why he did not start striker, Odion Ighalo, in Super Eagles’ 1-0 win over Burundi at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, on Saturday in Egypt.
Ighalo replaced Paul Onuachu in the second half of the match and scored the only goal of the encounter to hand Rohr’s men all three points against the East Africans.
Rohr stated that it was a tactical decision not to start the Shanghai Shehua star against Burundi.
”Burundi were in the same group with Mali and qualified, we saw the games, they were unbeaten in the qualifiers,” Rohr was quoted by Allnigeriasoccer as saying at his post-match after the game at the Alexandria Stadium.
”It is not easy especially as it was difficult to score the first goal. If the first goal does not come early, we suffer and have to work hard to win the match.
”Our plan was to bring in Ighalo when the other team perhaps give us more space and it happened today, but we had a big problem physically.”
”So many players were sick in the last two weeks, there was a virus and half of the team had fever, was tired and could not train,” Rohr added.
”Musa and Shehu could not complete the first half. Yesterday, we lost two players in the training session.
”I am happy that the solidarity of the team made the difference.”
Nigeria will take on Guinea in the next game on June 26.
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