AFCON
Gernot Rohr turns attention to Qatar 2022 qualifiers after Cameroon friendlies
Nigeria’s coach Gernot Rohr is already looking forward to the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September, after completing two friendly matches against Cameroon at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt in Vienna, Austria.
On Tuesday, both continental arch-rivals played out a goalless draw in what was an energy-sapping encounter with no quarter given. Earlier last Friday, the Indomitable Lions claimed a 1-0 win over the Super Eagles with a spectacular goal from Fulham midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa behind goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.
Yet Rohr, who drafted some new faces to the Nigerian side after late withdrawals by some established stars, was in buoyant mood at the end of the double-header against Cameroon in Vienna.
“We had some difficulties today and started with Valentine Ozornwafor in the defence and ended with Simon Moses (a winger) at the left back position; but I’m happy we did not concede any goal,” explained the German coach.
Rohr underlined the importance of the friendly ties with Cameroon, adding it was a good opportunity to assess what qualities other players can bring into the Super Eagles’ squad.
“It is not easy when you are missing the qualities of players like Osimhen, Chukwueze, Aribo and the rest, but it was good we came and worked together in the last 10 days; though we didn’t score any goal against Cameroon, the fruits of our work will come in September,” Rohr reiterated. “I think we would be ready in September for our World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde.”
Rohr who has overseen Nigeria since 2016, led the Super Eagles to the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt where they won bronze.
He has also qualified the Super Eagles for the forthcoming 2021 AFCON, to be held next year in Cameroon, and would be the first to qualify the Super Eagles for a successive FIFA World Cups should he guide his wards safely to Qatar 2022.
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has sacked its Serbian coach, Milutin Sredojević who is popularly known as Micho.
This is coming ahead of Libya’s back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations clashes with Nigeria next month.
Paradoxically, Sports Village Square gathered that the coach’s contract was only recently renewed for six months before the axe fell on the Serbian.
His sack was precipitated by the results obtained in their teo matches of the AFCON qualifiers.
Libya drew 1-1 with Rwanda at home and lost 2-1 away to Benin Republic despite beig a goal up at half time.
The Libyan side, Mediterranean Knights are due to play against the Nigeria Super Eagles in Uyo on 6 October while the return leg holds on 14 October at the 11 July Stadium in Tripoli.
According to information Sports Village Square gathered from Tripoli, the Mediterranean Knights’ coach, Micho led the Libyan national team to win nine matches since taking over in October of last year, he failed to build a strong team due to his poor choices.
He also took a risk with the footballers chosen in the AFCON qualifiers, and the result was shocking to the Libyan sports audience.
According to sources close to the Libyan Football Federation, there is a strong tendency to sign a national coach to lead the Libyan team during the remaining qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has lashed out at Ghana and some other African countries whose home grounds were recently banned from hosting CAF matches owing to inadequate facilities. He made the remarks in Nairobi, Kenya during a press conference,
After the MatchDay 2 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, CAF ruled Ghana’s Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi as being inadequate to host international matches. Being the only approved ground in the country, Ghana will now look towards either Cote d’Ivoire or Togo for their remaining home matches of the Afcon qualifiers.
Other African countries without approved home grounds are: Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Eritrea, Gabon, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, São Tomé and Burundi.
Motsepe voiced his frustration over the recurring issue of nations being unable to host home games.
“Nothing frustrates me more than a national team or club side having to play home matches outside,” he stated.
He stressed the significance of playing in front of home fans, adding, “You can’t grow football if the national teams or club sides aren’t playing in front of their home fans.”
Motsepe reiterated CAF’s commitment to working with countries to ensure they have at least one suitable stadium to host international fixtures.
“Our conversations in every country are to make sure there is at least one stadium capable of hosting a CAF category C game,” he emphasized.
The on-going CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire has brought together, the last three coaches that handled the Nigeria national football team.
Gernot Rohr, Jose Peseiro and Austin Eguavoen are part of the the elite coaches currently gathered in Abidjan.
Gernot Rohr whose tenure of 5 years and 55 matches is the longest ever by any coach in Nigeria, is currently handling Nigeria’s Africa Cupof Nations and World Cup qualifying rivals, Benin Republic. He was succeeded in the interim by Austin Eguavoen who is currently having another interim stint.
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