NFF boss Pinnick reveals half-time message to Yobo before Super Eagles' win vs Cape Verde

Nigeria Football Federation boss Amaju Pinnick was ecstatic after the Super Eagles came from behind to beat Cape Verde in a 2022 World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday.

Cape Verde's lead lasted less than eleven minutes as Napoli striker Victor Osimhen cancelled out Tavares' opener, before Gernot Rohr's team won it in the second half thanks to an own goal from Kenny Santos.

Pinnick was among the few spectators permitted to watch the game at the Estádio Municipal Adérito Sena, Mindelo.

The FIFA Council member revealed that he had predicted that the Super Eagles would beat the Blue Sharks during his half-time conversation with Rohr's assistant, Joseph Yobo.

Addressing the Super Eagles players shortly after the game, Pinnick stated : "Your coach Gernot Rohr demonstrated his dexterity, his maturity, his leadership and coaching abilities. You can see from the goalkeeping, defence, midfield and attack.

"During half-time I came and when I saw what he was doing I knew by God's grace we are going to win this game.

"I called Yobo, I said 'Yobo this game is winnable, we can beat this people' and Yobo said, 'coach has plotted the graph' and today we are happy that we have demonstrated that".

The Super Eagles are next in action in October when they face Central African Republic in back-to-back World Cup qualifiers.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel