'It's a bad decision' - Omeruo lets slip ex-Chelsea teammate to blame for Eagles not keeping clean sheet

Kenneth Omeruo once again spoke about his partnership with William Troost-Ekong in the wake of Nigeria conceding their first goal at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria registered a convincing win against the Falcons, scoring three goals, but they blotted their copybook twenty minutes from time when Khedr Safour Daiyeen stepped up to convert a penalty to make it 3-1.

The penalty was awarded to the north Africans by South African referee Victor Gomes after Abdelgader Karshoum's shirt was pulled by Ola Aina in the area.

Speaking in the mixed zone after the game, Omeruo let slip that the shirt pull by his former Chelsea teammate Aina was a bad decision and thinks the official made the right call when giving a penalty against the Super Eagles.

Omeruo told reporters : "Obviously we want to keep a clean sheet but it's a bad decision, it's a penalty, so it wasn't as if they scored from direct play.

"I'm proud of our partnership and the whole team, they gave everything.

"We knew it wasn't going to be easy because they have everything to play for, we are happy to win the game."

In terms of the refereeing decisions in games involving the Nigeria national team at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations,  Omeruo says he has been pleased with the officiating so far.

"Yes, I've been very pleased. There have been worse decisions but these few games we've played there have been fair decisions and we'll have to take it," he concluded.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel