Super Eagles Manager Gernot Rohr Points to Inexperience

Nigeria Super Eagles were defeated at home by South Africa in their opening match of 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier on Saturday and coach Gernot Rohr has blamed his team defeat to inexperience. Goals from Tokelo Rantie and Percy Tau condemned the Super Eagles to a first ever competitive loss to Bafana Bafana in 25 years, and Rohr pointed to the relative youth of his squad.

"My young team played a very good first half, but didn't score. We knew that in the second half, the experienced team of SA would be dangerous on counters, and that's what happened," Rohr offered.

The German also suggested that his players lost steam in the second half after expending energy in the first.

"We had difficulties to finish the match. My players did not cope physically in the second half because of the efforts they put in the first half.

"I believe that with this kind of game the young team will make progress. They will not repeat this same mistake.

"We controlled the game till after the goal, then they became nervous," he said.

The loss has compromised Nigeria's chances of qualifying for the African Nations Cup in 2019. The Super Eagles now need to win all their remaining games to have any chance of qualifying.

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