Jablonec striker Lamin Jawo has offered an honest assessment of his battle with Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez after the two players went head-to-head in their UEFA Conference League play-off encounter.
Jawo acknowledged Fernandez’s quality but explained why he did not consider the Super Eagles defender particularly difficult to handle.
Reflecting on their individual contest, the Gambian forward said he had already faced some of the strongest defenders in Czech football.
“I know Fernandez is a strong and good player who has quality,” Jawo said, as quoted by The Herald.
Jawo then compared the challenge of facing Fernandez with his previous experiences against defenders in the Czech Republic, insisting that the Rangers centre-back did not present a significantly greater test.
“But I have played against the strongest defenders in the Czech Republic, so this was not that big of a difference for me," he said.
The Jablonec striker also gave his verdict on the overall battle between the two players, describing it as an evenly contested duel.
He further claimed that he may have had the upper hand when competing for aerial balls.
“I think it was 50/50 with him. It was not that difficult and maybe I won more aerial duels than him," he added.
Jawo’s comments came after Rangers secured a 1-0 victory over Jablonec at Ibrox, giving the Scottish side a narrow advantage ahead of the return fixture.
Wale Adejumo
Discussions (0)