Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr was delighted to finish the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers unbeaten, with four wins and two draws through six matches - same results they achieved on the pitch during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The German manager turned a blind eye to the fact that Algeria were awarded a 3-0 win by default because Nigeria fielded an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifier in November 2017.

Things were not all rosy for Rohr and his team during the 2021 AFCON qualifiers as they came under intense scrutiny following back-to-back draws against Sierra Leone who are ranked outside the top 100 nations in the world by FIFA.

"The AFCON qualifiers with four wins and two draws are the same results like the World Cup qualifiers, even now we were qualified before the last two games," Rohr said.

"It is interesting we do our job, we are efficient, and we thank Nigerians for the support, even after the two draws we had a lot of Nigerians who supported us."

Rohr blamed injuries to three of his key players - namely Victor Osimhen, Ahmed Musa and Leon Balogun - for the draw against Sierra Leone, a game that saw them take a 4-0 lead inside thirty minutes before throwing away their advantage.

"We saw that the injuries to three players in the first game in Benin City (vs Sierra Leone) was very difficult for the team.

"Going out with an ambulance Osimhen, and then Balogun and Musa was very difficult."

Rohr made it clear that he won't be calling up new players for the World Cup qualifiers and is proud of the team's record of being unbeaten in away matches for five years in AFCON and World Cup qualifying.

"The World Cup qualifiers will start soon and I think we will be able to do well, you should expect good football again on a good pitch I hope.

"Lagos did very well but still have to improve, not easy because of the traffic.

"We cannot try new players now it's too late, now it's becoming very serious World Cup qualification.

"The record of our result is very good and I know that we are unbeaten in all our away games in the qualifiers which is wonderful, it is a nice record.

"We have to continue and we want to always be the best but sometimes the other team can have a result, you cannot always win your matches," he concluded.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel