Super Eagles winger Ahmed Musa says the team must move on quickly from their disappointing AFCON 2019 semifinal loss to Algeria and end the competition on a high by winning their third-place (bronze medal) match against Tunisia on Wednesday, reports Completesports.com.
The three-time champions’ hopes of making it to the final was dashed by the Desert Foxes of Algeria who handed them a 2-1 defeat at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday.
A William Troost-Ekong’s own goal and Riyad Mahrez’s sublime free-kick was enough for the Algerians to seal a place in the final where they will face the Teranga Lions of Senegal, while Odion Ighalo scored Nigeria’s only goal of the game from spot-kick.
The Super Eagles have a chance to take something home from the competition when they take on the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in the third placed match on Wednesday.
Musa and Chidozie Awaziem after the Eagles’ AFCON 2019 semifinal defeat to Algeria
“The game was difficult for us. We expected it to be a tough one for us, unfortunately we lost,” Musa told reporters after the game.”
“We don’t have to give up. We have some young players in the team. We just have to put our heads up and win the next game. ”
The Wednesday’s third-place game will hold at the Al Salam Stadium, Cairo. Kick off is 8pm Nigerian time.
By Adeboye Amosu (pix: by Ganiyu Yusuf) in Cairo
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COMMENTS
That is if they can.
If not for rohr how can musa, Mikel, Akpeyi play for eagle? despite all the qualities we have in our local league and abroad hungry players, lack of confident in the coach crew, no ability to make things happen, govt are just wasting money on incompetent people.
So you now criticising Mikel and Musa as well, you Nigerians are the highest hypocrites.
Tunisian match will be top as well cos we don’t have what its take to win such big matches, Alien griesse is far better than rohr, honestly I don’t see Nigeria beating Tunisia thought there will be some change in Nigeria team Ola Aina will come in, so Nigerian will improve from that wing but is not rohr idea? it will happen cos Awazie is having two yellow so he will not play if not rohr will stick to his traditional believe. I keep saying the pairing of balogun and Omeruo is better than pairing E kong with Omeruo but people don’t believe on that, in a good day when you look at balogun work rate ability to win ball on the air and his Agility to move the ball forward you will quite agree with me is better Ekong combination, anybody that is disputing what am saying should and watch Nig Vs Guinea match again, we will see the different and composure zero error in our defends infact that the best super eagle in all this tournament but rohr and co cant read game is unfortunate.
Why do you want to win the 3rd place match?
Simple answer, to consolidate our third place FIFA ranking. To close the distance between Tunisia and Nigeria.
As it was, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed teams (Senegal, Tunisia and Nigeria) were joined by the 11th place team (Algeria).
Even if Algeria win AFCON, they cannot over take us in this place, bit we do need to put some distance between us and Morocco, Egypt, Ghana and Congo who we recently overtook in the rankings.
So apart from pride, the are benefits to improving FIFA rankings (seeded teams avoid each other in draws).
Nff should please employ Siasia and Kanu to assist G.Rohr. We really miss Victor Moses in the super eagles. We should now realize that we don’t have a good wingers in the super eagles now. We need a good midfielders and defenders and a great goalkeepers in this team. Relying on Europe based players instead of searching for great talented players here in our Nigeria leagues is also drawing us backward.
Which sensible person will prefare ekong at defence after what he did at worldcup…. When he dive madzukic to the ground as if he was a gay…. Because that i said this about 3times that i dont trust this ekong when people were saying omerou should displace balogun…. I was just moving my head pity their thoughts.. Because he (ekong) madness comes and goes…. To akpeyi even mahrez admitted it last night that when he saw the keeper out of position and the wall so he knew he will put it at that corner and thats wat happen. ALL I AM SAYING IS SACK ROHR. thank you