Gernot Rohr, Super Eagles Technical Adviser, said his team lost their last Group match at the World Cup match against Argentina to an experienced side.

Rohr made this known to journalists at a post match news conference after the Super Eagles lost 1-2 to Argentina on Tuesday.

He said: “It was a big disappointment.

“Even though my players played their best, they lost to the opponents due to inexperience of my players.

“My team is a very young side compared to the Argentines, who play in the big leagues all over the world.

“You can talk of the experience of Lionel Messi.

“But my team is a very wonderful one: disciplined, young and very interesting to work with.

“They will be ready in the next World Cup when most of them would have matured for big time football like the World Cup.”

Messi opened scores in the 14th minute of the first half, while Victor Moses leveled up via a penalty in the 51st minute of the encounter.

However, Marcos Rojo wrapped up the game for the Argentines to move forward into the second round of the competition.

Rohr, who promised to continue with the team inspite of the ouster, however, promised that the team would be better during the African Cup of Nations games.

He said: “In four years, the team will be very strong and I would love to stay with them because they are disciplined and fantastic.”

However, the coach refused to be drawn into the controversy of why the referee from Turkey, Cuneyt Cakir, failed to award a second penalty to the Super Eagles, saying he had the final say.

With the loss, Nigeria is out of the competition, while Argentina is moves to the next round with four points from three matches having lost one, drawn one and won one, with Nigeria losing two (against Croatia and Argentina) and winning one of its three matches (against Iceland).

Before their last Group D match with the Super Eagles, Argentina looked like it had no chance of moving on from the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup having drawn its first match with Iceland and lost 0-3 to Croatia in its second.

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BIG STORY

CAF 2024 Awards: Nigeria’s ‘Super Falcons’ Wins National Team Of The Year (Female Category)

Published

1 week ago

December 17, 2024

PorscheClassy News

The Nigerian women’s national football team, Super Falcons, were named “National Team of the Year” at the CAF Awards 2024.

This achievement, revealed on Monday by the Confederation of African Football during the presentation ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, further solidifies their dominance and excellence in African football.

This esteemed recognition underscores the team’s exceptional performances and significant contributions over the past year, as they continued to represent Nigeria at the pinnacle of women’s football in Africa.

The CAF Awards annually honor the best in African football, celebrating teams, players, and coaches who have excelled in their respective fields.

The Nigerian women’s team has consistently demonstrated resilience, skill, and determination on the international stage, earning the admiration of fans and experts alike.

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BIG STORY

Four Years Ago I Failed In Front Of The World, Fast Forward, I’m The Best Player In Africa — Ademola Lookman

Published

1 week ago

December 17, 2024

PorscheClassy News

Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles winger, says his success as the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year came after he “failed in front of the world” four years prior.

Lookman spoke after receiving the award as the best African male footballer of 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

The 27-year-old finished ahead of Achraf Hakimi, Simon Adingra, Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.

He followed in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lookman referenced his failure to convert a penalty for Everton in November 2020.

Lookman had the opportunity to earn a point for Fulham in their English Premier League (EPL) match against West Ham United. Instead, he failed to execute a Panenka penalty kick that was easily saved by Lukasz Fabianski as West Ham won 1-0.

The penalty attempt earned him mockery on social media, and Scott Parker, Fulham’s manager, criticized the player publicly.

“Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.

“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.

“Firstly, I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.

“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates—club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”

“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”

Lookman left Fulham after that season for RB Salzburg in Germany, where he continued to flap his wings before taking flight following his move to Atalanta in the summer of 2022.

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