Gernot Rohr has once again insist that the Super Eagles of Nigeria didn’t do badly against Croatia as many would suggest judging by the fact that they lost by 0-2 on Saturday. A result which leaves them bottom of their group.
Speaking at the pre-match conference ahead of their clash against Iceland on Friday, Rohr insist that the team he lined up against Croatia were well organised and the goals they conceded where an own goal and a penalty.
“Our group is a tough one – the best in this World Cup, in my opinion. We should always keep that in mind. Croatia has one of the best midfields in the world. If you consider that, our organization wasn’t so bad. Croatia’s first goal was an own goal. Their first shot on target was in the 71st minute and it was a penalty. Therefore, we need to stay calm and focus on the next game”, Rohr explained.
The coach further explained that nine out of the eleven players in the starting line up against Croatia were playing in their first game at the World Cup, which according to him brought about some nerves in the team.
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He however admitted that the lesson learnt from the game has been noticed by the technical crew and they will work on the weak spot ahead of their clash against Iceland. A game they need to win or draw to keep their hope of progressing from the group alive.
“9 out of the 11 players in the starting line-up against Croatia played their first World Cup match. Of course, nerves played a role there. But we worked on our set-pieces – both the offensive and the defensive ones. We know that we need to improve them.”
