‘I wish Nigeria did not lose to Mali ‘ – Finidi George
After Nigeria’s 2-0 defeat against Mali last night at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, Super Eagles stand-in coach, Finidi George, offered his reflections on the match.
The 52-year-old, who currently serves as the head coach of Enyimba FC, stepped in temporarily as Nigeria’s coach for the March International friendlies following the departure of Jose Peseiro.
In his debut game in charge, Nigeria secured a 2-1 victory over Ghana, led by Otto Addo, in what was dubbed the “Jollof derby.” However, their momentum was halted by a loss to Mali, a performance that fell short of expectations.
In his post-match interview, the former Ajax winger acknowledged his team’s effort despite the unfavorable result.
“We made a few mistakes that cost us the match. It was not a bad game, good intensity, and we created a couple of chances but didn’t score, and in games like this, if you don’t take your chances and make mistakes, you get punished. We were not outplayed so that is a good thing, and in the first game, I think we did so well,” Finidi told OgaNla Media.
Despite the defeat, the 1994 AFCON winner remained optimistic, emphasising the unpredictable nature of football.
“I would have loved a different result, but it was not meant to be. That’s how football is; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It’s a friendly game, so you just check to see some players that can be used in the future. That’s the most important thing,” the former Super Eagles winger added.
Looking ahead, Nigeria will resume action in June as they gear up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where they are set to face South Africa and Gernot Rohr’s Benin Republic.
