Finidi insists Super Eagles were the better team v Mali, reveals Simon suffered suspected ankle injury 

Super Eagles interim coach Finidi George has declared that his side were the better side in their 2-0 loss to Mali in an international friendly game played on Tuesday night at the Stade de Marrakech.

A goal in either half from Atalanta forward El Bilal Toure and Kamory Doumbia handed Mali their first victory over Nigeria since September 1975.

The Super Eagles headed into the game on the back of an impressive outing against rivals Ghana but couldn't replicate the same against Éric Chelle's side.

The three-time African champions started the game slowly and were rightly punished for their poor start, while they eventually regained the control of the game, they couldn't do much to trouble the Eagles' defense. 

Speaking after the game, George said his side were the better side in the encounter despite suffering a loss to their West African counterparts.

"If you take away those two goals, you think we are the winning team. That is football, it is what is it. You win sometimes and you lose sometimes.
"It is a friendly game, you see one or two players that can be used in the future, that is the most important thing."

The 52-year-old tactician also spoke about the state of Moses Simon who had to be taken off due to an injury and was replaced by Cyriel Dessers.

"I don't know at the moment,  we have to wait and hear for the doctor. I think it is an ankle injury, but we have to see what the doctor will give us on that."

The Nantes winger suffered a suspected ankle injury in the 28th minute of the clash after colliding with the Mali goalkeeper Mamadou Samassa.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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