SS Lazio of Italy midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is picking positives from the Super Eagles’ goalless draw away to Rwanda on Tuesday, sports247.ng reports.
Although the Nigerian squad could not make it two wins out of the same number of matches in the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, Dele-Bashiru, who started the game in Kigali, opined that a draw is better than defeat.
Dele-Bashiru added in a post-match interview at Kigali International Airport that luck was against the Eagles, hence their inability to convert the numerous chances that came their way.
“I think we played well,” said the former Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday of England youth team player, who is currently at Lazio on loan from Hatayspor of Turkey.
“We knew it would be difficult playing away, with their fans cheering them on. It meant there were different circumstances that we had to consider.”
While admitting that the Eagles found it difficult to score freely the way they did in last Saturday’s 3-0 spanking of Benin Republic in Uyo, Dele-Bashiru insisted it was not a bad performance by his side.
Dele-Bashiru, who started the game but was replaced in the second half, added, “With everything considered, I think we played well. The only problem was that we couldn’t finish our chances.
“There were many chances that we couldn’t finish off, and that’s why the game ended zero-zero.
“Of course, we can take a positive from here that we didn’t concede a goal, and we gained a point to boost our AFCON qualification. It’s not the result we wanted, but it’s not a terrible result.”
He concluded by revealing the general response among the players after the barren encounter at the refurbished Amahoro Stadium in Kigali and submitted that they have nothing to be ashamed of.
“We spoke a little bit among ourselves after the game about our lost chances, but it’s not something to dwell on for too long.
“It’s just that sometimes you are lucky, and sometimes you are not. Today was just one of those days.
“Everything we threw at them just didn’t go in; but it’s important that we didn’t lose the game and we didn’t concede,” Dele-Bashiru rationalised.
