[Sport News] Why Eagles Can’t Afford Defeat In 2019 Afcon Qualifiers. Says >>Gernot Rohr

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has said that the team must win their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles after they lost their first game to South Africa.

Nigeria will take on Seychelles in September, having, in 2017, lost their opening game of the qualifiers to the Bafana Bafana, placing them third in the four-team group.

Some new players have been called up for the clash but Rohr has revealed that they might not play in the game.

“We lost our first game against South Africa in June last year and the next game against Seychelles is very important to us,” Complete Sports quoted him as saying.

“And after that, we will play two back-to-back games against Libya.

“Seychelles, I believe, have a very good team, so we have to prepare well to beat them. Then after that, we want to play Saudi Arabia on September 11, which will be a good chance to try some new players.”

The German added that “The game against Seychelles is a crucial one and we won’t have [a] longer time to prepare for it, so there is no real chance to try out new players, but we hope to do that in friendlies. It’s a game we can’t afford to lose.

“It is a good thing also that CAF has increased the number of participating teams from 16 to 24, and we hope to come first in our group.”

The Eagles have missed out on the tournament for two consecutive editions, in 2015 and 2017, after emerging African champions, for the third time, in 2013 in South Africa.