Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has declared that South Africa are the overwhelming favourites heading into Wednesday’s quarterfinal fixture of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Completesports.com reports.
The Bafana Bafana put up a spirited display to knock out hosts, the Pharaohs of Egypt, 1-0 in the Round of 16 encounter last Saturday.
Rohr believes that edging out the host nation has put the Bafana Bafana in strong position in the competition.
“South Africa are the favourites for this game. They beat Egypt in front of a big crowd which is not an easy thing to do,” Rohr stated during a press conference at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday.
“We saw the game between Egypt and South Africa. We know South Africa very well because we were in the same group in the qualifiers . You are full confidence when you beat the number one favourites with one of the best players in Africa (Mohamed Salah).
“We lost against Madagascar and suffered in our win against Cameroon. We had to fight hard coming from a goal down to win the game.”
Rohr added: “We are coming to a new stadium. We stayed in Alexandria where we played all our matches before now. Nice place, close to the beach. The players love the place.
“We have to travel down to Cairo. A new place for us. South Africa have been here (Cairo) before us. They also know this place and stadium better than us.”
The German however says he is expecting an exciting match from two good teams.
“It is going to be a good match between two exciting teams. We are hungry and ready for the game,” Rohr added.
“After the loss to Madagascar, I told my players that the loss was good for us ahead of playing Cameroon and it is the same for tomorrow’s game. My team will never be arrogant. We will keep our fighting spirit and humility.”
By Adeboye Amosu (pix: by Ganiyu Yusuf) in Cairo
39 Comments
Hmmmmm Mr Rohr you have come again. They have been waiting for you. Remember you lack confidence and now you are saying it openly. They are ready with their ass and cutlasses. See my head oooo. The floor is declared open. Let me hide one corner and read comments
Loool,,,,. If Rohr nor kill me, who else go fit?
Same here I think I am used to him and wish he doesn’t leave again good or bad! He won me over and I love his humulity ever since I got to understand him. And if you notice is red face when the going is bad during an ongoing match. You’ll realise he doesn’t like defeat. So for him to be talking like this you should know he is playing mind games!
Everyone that’s got really close to the Germans, will not be surprised. They are doers n not talkers like d English.
Very true, I grew up in Germany, a German will never brag, but he has a bit of French in him, Germans talk less but very very dangerous in all aspects.
@ndubuisi… hahaha! No worry bro, he’s just playing mind games games. U should’ve known this man by now nah
*Axe wrong spelling
This is the only time I may concede he is playing mind games, but I am not even too sure of that.
Just win the game sha, or else…
I could count about 40 excuses or mind game. Loool…Well I’m enjoying Rohr’s sense of respect n humility. What matters to me is result n not foolish boasting without results.
Rohr! You have started again. Why will you continuously do this Why????. Instead of talking about your team you are taking about Mo Salah and South Africa being Favorites are you Serious???????????
reverse psychology man understand it man…he uses it regularly but if u listen well u will pick d important messages… ”My team will never be arrogant. We will keep our fighting spirit and humility.”
Our match with South Africa is a battle between the two coaches of both teams. Baxter is boasting again. He first did that and won in uyo. The 2nd leg ended in a draw. This is now a tournament. It’s about method and the technical input of both coach with maybe a stroke of luck. The onus in winning this match lies with rohr. South Africa is not new to him. He has no reason to fail. For the players, our pride as a football nation is at stake. We must be confident and give our all. I’ll want shehu or Collins to start at the right back. Omeruo and ekong at the center back and aino at the left back. Etebo and ndidi at the middle with iwobi going up front. Ighalo should start with chukwueze and musa on both flanks. I’ll like to see onyekuru as substitute for a winger in this match and osimhen for ighalo in the 2nd half. If shehu is fit, he and aino can stop this pacy counter attacking South Africans. Ndidi and etebo would have much to do too. If we leave spaces I our defensive areas, we could concede a goal. Our goalkeeper must be awake for 90 mins. Good luck guys.
u want jamiu collins at right back or shehu ? even u have goof so allow d coach to do his job n give the team the necessary prayer n support…..
I swear….Collins at right back.
Shehu where abeg No Shehu, Awaziem does a good job. Onyekuru Should start this game as Rohr said he chooses players according to the type of team. Well the South Africans are Small and quick and Onyekuru is Small and Quicker. Musa for me is not doing a very good job bar that assist to Ighalo his end product is not sufficient. He finishing is lacking. Onyekuru is a better finisher than Musa and finds spaces better.
Anyway, if the Coach chooses Musa which I believe he will then, I really hope Musa will prove me wrong..
Let Baxter keep boasting they can beat us but when he loses, he will hide his head. Let Rohr keeping saying that RSA is better than Naija on the grounds that they beat the host country, Egypt and they have been around in Cairo knowing the stadium very well (probably in pretence), but be reminded we beat the defending champs who defeated Egypt 2-1 in AFCON 2017. What matters is the 11 against 11 and determination to win the Bafana Bafana. Period! Give us the winning formula. That’s all.
In a football match anything can happen, I see no reason why Rohr’s humility should be our problem. It’s better he do the talking on the field than on pages of newspapers. My own is that we don’t have to defend against SA by playing 352formation again.
Hmmmm…”My team will never be arrogant. We will keep our fighting spirit and humility.”
This guy is a typical German…! They don’t make noise about what they have….but their craft always speaks for them.
Go go SE….do your talking on the pitch and let them see who’s wearing the bigger drawers..!
My boss don’t worry God will help you
Let’s leave our coach out of this yeah. If our boys can say to themselves,”com on guys, get your sleeves up n let us play these south African some proper football”, I tell anyone that cares to listen, South Africa will definitely be no match for SE.
Sure I understand don’t mind me but his haters are ready to bounce on him @ Oakfield. Hahahaha
Lol….his haters are beginning to migrate except a few stubborn ones that would go on self exile soon. Hahaha…
Mumu which people are migrating name them because your and Drey will not have sense here!
You
Amunike before his first match at afocn boasted like Goliath to the extent that he won many people over which gave way for the clamouring for him to replace mr rohr. He shot down stars with his mouth to the admiration of many but what happened eventually,? He was given the beating of his coaching career that he’ll never forget in his lifetime. He thought football Na mouth. Like @glory said, the English are known to have big mouths while Germans talk through as action. Better talk less and achieve results than boast and fail woefully. Remember, pride goes before a fall. Egypt had too much pride before the south African match and they got what they never envisaged.
Some Nigerians are very funny, win afcon or not thank God we finally have a team and a stable coach, after all the brief generations of players, world cup last year, reveal to me the potential of Nigeria, the style we are playing now, is what all European teams used to destroy African teams, this man has brought stability to the national team which is the most important thing, it’s the first time as If i can remember that young nigeria professional have the opportunity to represent Nigeria. Gone are the days of Yakubu, Every country in the world is going to football transition, Brasil just won Copa America after many years, France are lucky with generation of kante and mbappe Belgium best team in the world, world cup deserving but no luck Germany spain Italy all stuck moving forward, we need to be grateful remembring where we were yesterday, I wish my country good luck the future looks bright
Naija 4 life
Me be laughing dem Nigerians. .
After tomorrow’s game, you will be laughing THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR FACE, my man.
So, keep laughing while you still can!
Which parasite has come to pollute this site with incomprehensible write-ups? Stay clear of this forum, rapist.
Mind or no mind game we must defeat this boastful South Africans tomorrow, is going to be a match of high intensity with pace and counter attacking football, our players must play as units deny them any space in the midfield, Iwobi must win few tackles track back to Ndidi and etebo, our defenders must be at alert for 90mins, Ekong especially can’t be guilty of ball watching tomorrow. I think we going to see onyekuru and Kalu playing some minutes tomorrow.
Beat SA and you will be crown 2019 Afcon champion
Because south Africa defeated Egypt via counter attack everyone is now saying they are a very good side, quick n with a deadly counter attacking style of play. Where was d counter attacking style of play in there 3 previous matches b4 they played Egypt?
Their*
GR should stop spreading negativity… he respects his opponent too much… We are Nigeria not Burkina Faso!
Are you kidding me coach Rohr?
South Africa are favorites? What an insult to Nigeria? We need a new coach after this Afcon. You are done with that statement. Did I hear mind games?
This is not mind games at all.
Against South Africa in Uyo, mind games. He loses the match
Against Madagascar, mind game, in the end what happened?
What did you expect from a coach who says loosing against Madagascar was not embarrassing? Absolutely mind games as usual. I won’t be deceived by you and your fans no more. The coach means what he said. Mba, no this time, Motika nlę fa. Putting your team down and hailing your opponents is not acceptable. God bless Nigeria!!!
Are you kidding me coach Rohr?
South Africa are favorites? What an insult to Nigeria? We need a new coach after this Afcon. You are done with that statement. Did I hear mind games?
This is not mind games at all.
Against South Africa in Uyo, mind games. He loses the match
Against Madagascar, mind game, in the end what happened?
What did you expect from a coach who says loosing against Madagascar was not embarrassing? Absolutely mind games as usual. I won’t be deceived by you and your fans no more. The coach means what he said. Mba, not this time, Motika nlę fa. Putting your team down and hailing your opponents is not acceptable. God bless Nigeria!!!
omo9ja u are an animal. enemy of progress..isi ewuh.
Even the excuse of South Africans been fast is not going to work. Are Super Eagles player really that slow? No! Ahmed Musa is fast, Onyekuru is fast, Etebo is fast, Iwobi is a bit fast so whats with the fast excuse! This match is super Eagles to lose.
is too late to cry ok your team will fall is 2 zero