Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr has revealed another explanation to his side’s laboured efforts in a 1-1 draw against South Africa on Saturday, as he says his players would have done better but for the heat and fatigue that affected them from their long flight to Johannesburg.
Although Rohr says he was satisfied to pick the ticket to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, sports247.ng learnt he had misgivings over the weather and the fact that his players were not totally refreshed before kick-off.
Although the Franco-German tactician stopped short of slamming the referee for disallowing what looked like good goals from the Eagles in either half of the pulsating encounter at ‘Soccer City, ‘ Rohr said it could have been a better result for his side.
Rohr, though, hinted that it was not the correct decision by the Gambian ref, Bakary Gassama to rule out both efforts, after Nigeria had the ball in the net in the 8th and 86th minutes.
Rohr declared: ”The goal by my captain was not offside. Two goals for us were not given, but I don’t criticise the referee. We got the result we needed.’
”This is our first game in five matches we have not won, we won our four previous matches, that’s why we wanted to win.
”We tried to score the second goal of course because we play to win all the time. The challenge was to score a goal against this very good goalkeeper, we knew it will be a difficult game.
”It was very hot, long traveling for us, arriving only yesterday morning without sleeping in the night. The second half was very difficult.
”We started the match well, scored the first goal, our attack was okay, they had to come against our defensive block and it was difficult for South Africa.”
