'South Africa Are Favorites To Win AFCON' - Rohr Plays Down Super Eagles Title Chances

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has played down his side's chances of winning the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and believes his next opponents South Africa are favorites to take home the title on July 19.

Logically, the German argued that Bafana Bafana are now the favourite team because they knocked out pre-tournament favorite Egypt without help from officials.

With their strong attack and organized defence, Rohr believes the South Africans have the weapons to beat other teams at the Africa Cup of Nations.

''They have quick strikers and wingers, they have the center-forward (Lebo Mathiba) playing in France in Strasbourg, we know him very well they have experience in the centre defence,'' Rohr was quoted as saying by Busy Buddies.

''They were the better team against Egypt so when you’re a better team than Egypt, you are becoming the favourite of the tournament because everybody said before its Egypt the favourite number one.

''They beat Egypt in Egypt so they are now the favourite number one. We are not the favourite against South Africa (because) they are beating them (Egypt) in Cairo in International Stadium (in front of) seventy-five thousand people. You must be very strong to do that.

''What they did, without any help from the referee without any luck they had the better team and so I heard some people say it’s good we don’t play Egypt, no, it’s not good because they are better than Egypt.''

Of the 10 previous meetings between the two countries in competitive games, the Super Eagles have lost only once, in Uyo two years ago, they have beaten the South Africans on five occasions while four matches ended in a draw. 

Igho Kingsley