2021 AFCON Group D Is Tough, Salah Will Be Difficult For My Defence – Rohr
By Ebube Dike
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has expressed worry over the draw for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON described the Group D of the tournament as tough
The German coach clocked 5 years as Eagle handler in this month also said that former Africa Player of the Year, Mohammed Salah will be a difficult opponent for his team.
Pooled in Group D against the Pharaohs, Guinea Bissau and Sudan, the three-time African kings will begin their campaign against the North Africans on January 11 at the Roumde Adjia Stadium.
Salah, Liverpool’s hitman, is one of the key stars in Hossam El Badry’s army and Rohr said that the former Chelsea player would be a tough wild beast to tame.bybhis defence.
“It is a big challenge to play against Egypt in the first game and a player like Mohamed Salah,” Rohr told Espn.
“It is a big challenge for all our defence and also for all our team. We will defend collectively against him of course, and we are growing together since a few years now and I believe our defence is able to be efficient against such a fantastic player.”
The 68-year-old stated that Nigeria have been handed tough opponents, claiming he wanted to avoid the Egyptians.
Regardless, Rohr assured Super Eagles fans his team would be well prepared for the competition especially the opening match against El Badry’s side.
“We have a tough group. Egypt, everybody knows and everybody wanted to avoid. But they are with us, it is okay,” he continued.
“Sudan also. They have a French coach, a friend of mine, who did a good job since he arrived there, coming out from a difficult group. Also, Guinea Bissau is not easy.
“I would like to win against the first two teams, and then I can bring in the third game, as I did in the last Afcon, the substitutes, and give rest to our starting players from the first two matches.
“If we win the first two matches it is not a problem, we are qualified and then we can change our team. But of course, nobody will be underrated, and we are not afraid of anybody.
“I think that the most important is to start well the competition. We will be very, very well prepared. We need to be ready for this first match against Egypt in Garoua.”