Rohr praises ‘defensively organised’ Super Eagles after Ivory Coast win
Former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has praised the defensive organization of the Super Eagles in their recent victory over Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Eagles secured a crucial 1-0 win against the hosts, with William Troost-Ekong converting a penalty to give Nigeria maximum points on Thursday, January 18, 2024.
Rohr, in his post-match analysis, highlighted the effectiveness of the team’s defensive setup, emphasizing a 5-4-1 formation that proved decisive in neutralizing Ivory Coast’s attacking threats.
He commended the defensive efforts of the five-man backline and credited midfielders like Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka for their contributions.
The former coach also acknowledged the resilience of the Super Eagles, responding to criticisms with a strong performance against the host country.
“Very nice victory for the Nigerian team against Ivory Coast who were not in the game at all,” Rohr said in his post-match analysis on the X handle of former BBC reporter Osasu Obayiuwana.
“Very good organisation, 5-4-1, it was decisive (for Super Eagles) because we didn’t see the Ivory Coast strikers.
“The five defenders, two on the side did a good job and in the midfield Alex Iwobi did very well with Onyeka also Chukwueze and Lookman came back to help and were in good offensive situation as wingers when Nigeria had the ball.
“It’s a very good result, I’m happy for my former players because they’ve been so many criticism and they responded with this match against the host country.“
However, the current Benin Republic head coach cautioned the Eagles not to be complacent vs Guinea Bissau.
“They must be careful and remain humble because at the last AFCON they won all their group games but lost in the round of 16, each match is very important.“ Rohr added.
Nigeria is set to face Guinea-Bissau in their final Group A game on Monday, aiming to secure a spot in the knockout stages of the 2023 AFCON tournament.
