Nigeria’s Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr has pleaded with the country’s teeming fans saying the goals will come again for Odion Ighalo if he is given enough time to settle.
After a two-year hiatus from the Super Eagles, the former Manchester United striker made a return to the team in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Cape Verde.
Ighalo was in action in the 1-1 draw against Bubista’s Blue Sharks before he was subbed off for Leicester City star, Kelechi Iheanacho.
The return of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations top-scorer was expected to add more depth to Nigeria’s attack, and when asked why his team still struggled in front of goal with the 32-year-old’s presence, Rohr told the media: “We need a little patience with Ighalo.
“He has not been with us for more than one year, he needs the time to find the harmony.
“I think we saw interesting things [from Ighalo’s partnership] with Osimhen, and with him, Osimhen will grow and will learn a lot.
“Now, I am sure that for the 2021 AFCON, we can prepare with these two players – something which is more harmonious.
“[The game against Cape Verde] was like a final – a very special game and some of the chances we had came off the help of Ighalo.
“So, let’s have a little patience, give us a little time to work with him together and the goals will come again.”
Earlier, the German tactician claimed that his men deserved to have scored at least a second goal against the visitors at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
“First of all, sometimes, a draw can be like a victory. That was the case today. Because we wanted to qualify, we knew that a draw is already qualification,” he told the media.
“It was not an easy game because Cape Verde have a good technical team and they scored a goal in a moment when we believed we had the match in the hands.
“We missed a lot of chances in the first half, and I think we deserved to score a second goal.
“That did not come, and we had to defend, and the players did it very well.”
Notwithstanding the outcome, the Super Eagles are through to the third round – where Africa’s representatives for Qatar 2022 will be determined.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
