Rohr : Lack Of Concentration For The Goals Eagles Conceded, The Department That Impressed Him The Most Second Half

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has blamed lack of concentration for the goals conceded by his team during the first half of their 3-2 victory against Cameroon on Saturday evening.

Nigeria took the lead in the 19th minute when Odion Ighalo's close-range shot was deflected beyond Andre Onana but the first half ended in dramatic fashion with the defending champions netting twice in the final five minutes.

The Super Eagles could have avoiding a meeting with the five-time African champions if they topped Group B but finished as the second-placed team after losing to Madagascar.

''Just after the Madagascar match we had some few days, we didn't want to lose this match, we wanted to finish first in the group and avoid a team like Cameroon, we could not,'' Rohr said at the post-match press conference attended by allnigeriasoccer.com.

''We wanted to give competition to some of our players and I am very happy with the players that lost to Madagascar but could not participate today.

''This victory was a difficult match, everybody knows Cameroon have a very good team, we dominated in the beginning, scored a good goal and then in the end of the first half there was a lack of concentration and Cameroon got their goals.''

Rohr praised the midfielders - Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo and Alex Iwobi - for their efforts in the second half that eventually turned the game around.

''In the second half, we tried to have a better organization in the midfield and also to believe still in the victory, players were disappointed at half-time but my young team did not give up and continued to fight.

''We had better organization in the midfield in the second half, I must say that we had two days more to prepare for the match, towards the end of the second half we had a little bit more fitness than them.

''Congratulations to the Cameroon team, to have a good football match you need two good teams''.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : cafonline.com