It was a mixed feeling for Coach Stephen Keshi yesterday after his boys beat Tahiti 6-1 to set a possible competition record. He was happy with the final result and the competitive edge it has given the Super Eagles, but was quick to add that his attackers were wasteful, a situation that worries him.
He was also delighted that none of the players was injured. “That is a big relief for me”, he remarked, saying that was what he was concerned about before the game, having lost four vital players of his African Cup winning side to injury.
“That would have compounded my headache as I know that the competition is now going to get tougher”. Despite rejoicing over the score line, he expressed worry over the wasted chances that the strikers could not convert. “The valuable chances they lost can prove crucial in the long run, considering that Spain and Uruguay will also still play Tahiti and score many goals.
“Worse still, they allowed Tahiti to pull a goal back and that boosted their morale and confidence as they dominated the game momentarily for about five minutes. “If the trend continues, we will be in great difficulty soon”. He said he would now focus on strategy that may see the Super Eagles eliminate Uruguay tomorrow, so as to ease tension when the Super Eagles face Spain on the last match day of the group stage.He said even though he was not expecting the thunderous booing from the Brazilian crowd, he could not believe that it was owing to the dented image of the Super Eagles over the bonus crisis. “It is common for the weaker side to be supported, so that the standard of play can rise”, he said. “The booing did not have any impact on my players”, he remarked.
While Enyeama on Sunday said the issue of match bonus had not been resolved, Keshi said the issue was over and almost had an unsettling impact on the team. Monday’s win coincided with the defeat of another Oceania team by an African side in the Confederations Cup four years ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment