2019 AFCON: No Shame Losing To Madagascar – Rohr

BY EDMOND ODOK – Super Eagles’ German Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr has made light of the team’s embarrassing 0-2 loss to soccer minnows, Madagascar at the ongoing 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

Against all expectations and bookmakers’ predictions,   Nigeria woefully failed to stop the Coach Nicolas Dupuis’ men who ran riot to win the final Group B match played at the Alexandria Stadium

And Coach Rohr, who has been criticized for his seeming lack of charisma, admitted his players were not good enough on the day and deserved to suffer the humiliating defeat.

The Super Eagles’ suspect form was thoroughly exposed by the small island country in the Indian Ocean, officially called the Republic of Madagascar with the shocking defeat ending the Eagles’ unbeaten run of nine games in the biennial showpiece since 2010. 

Coach Rohr, in assessing the team’s display, during the post match press conference, said his players were ‘relaxed’ but was not surprised by the result.

According to him, “We lost to a good team because Madagascar was the first to qualify for the tournament and there is no shame in losing to such a team.”

Rohr maintained that “Madagascar was the better team today. We started with giving them a gift and after, we could not find a solution. We made five changes because we wanted to give a rest to some players and also preserve those with cards.”

“Sometimes it happens when you are already qualified; the players are relaxed and playing easy”, the German excused the players for the humiliating loss.

Again demonstrating their famous defensive frailties that have been a great source of worry to many Nigerian soccer fans, things started going bad for the Nigerians as early as the 13th minute when Lalaina Nomenjanahary broke the deadlock after benefitting from Leon Balogun’s howler.

The three-time African champions found it difficult to churn out an equaliser before Carolus Andriamahitsinoro doubled the lead for Madagascar with his deflected free-kick in the 53rd minute to wrap up the game.

The result, which left many soccer pundits dumbfounded, placed Nigeria as runners-up in Group B behind Madagascar that amassed a total of seven (7) points to the Eagles’ six (6) points.

Previously known as the Malagasy Republic, Madagascar lies approximately 400 kilometres off the coast of East Africa, and comprises the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands – With agency reports