Head coach of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr, has admitted his players were relaxed at the end of the game when they wanted to force Algeria into extra time in their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash.
Nigeria had leveled the game through Odion Ighalo’s penalty after they went behind in the first half.
But with the final kick of the match, Riyad Mahrez struck an unstoppable free-kick past Daniel Akpeyi, to ensure the Desert Foxes will play in the final.
Rohr, speaking to Reuters, hailed Mahrez ass the “genius who made the difference”.
He said: “It was a big fight until the last minute, it was a wonderful match, I think my players wanted it to go to extra time thinking Algeria were more tired.
“We scored an own goal, unlucky, but we have come back every time in this tournament and this time we came back on a penalty. But a wonderful free kick from a football genius made the difference.”
Nigeria will face Tunisia in Wednesday’s third-place encounter at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo.
