Ighalo On Conceding Injury-Time Goal, Hardest Game & Message To Super Eagles Fans

Shanghai Greenland Shenhua striker Odion Ighalo has shared his thoughts on the Super Eagles heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Algeria in the semifinal of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ighalo's 72nd minute goal from the spot after the referee consulted VAR would have taken the game into extra-time, only for Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez to clinch a win for the North Africans with almost the last kick of the game.

''It was a difficult game and we were unlucky, last minute. Second half, we really played well and we deserved more than what we got today but this is football,'' Ighalo told reporters Sunday evening.

''They got a free-kick last minute and they scored, the game finished, we have to learn from our mistake and look forward to the third place game.''

On the hardest match the Super Eagles have played in AFCON 2019, he said : ''Every match we have played in this AFCON is tough, this is much tougher because Algeria is a good side, they played really well so good luck to them, they won today''.

Finally, the Africa Cup of Nations leading marksman sent a message to heartbroken Nigerian fans.

''I want to tell them we are sorry, we did our best but it was not enough. We conceded a last-minute goal, we have to keep working hard, we have a game again on the 17th, the third place, we hope to win and go with that''.

Should he score against Tunisia on Wednesday, Ighalo will become Nigeria's joint top scorer in a single tournament with five goals, matching the record set by Rashidi Yekini 25 years ago.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel