Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has set a semi-final target for Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, saying that they already advanced to the round of 16 in three previous tournaments.
“The Super Eagles are already out of the group stage to go to the round of 16 in some past tournament, especially in 2014 when they faced the French team (0-2 defeat),” Rohr told French sports newspaper L’Equipe.
“We will try to do as well. Unfortunately, here, the ambitions are a little more excessive: the team must reach at least the semifinals. “We have the ambition of the leaders to manage, even if I get along very well with the president (Amaju Pinnick), who came to get me.”
“There are many people at the Federation (NFF). As in all African countries, it’s never easy. But for now, it’s going very well.”
Nigeria will return to action when they face Algeria in their final 2018 World Cup qualifier on November 10, before wrapping up their 2017 schedule with a friendly against Argentina four days later in Russia.
Meanwhile, sources close to Rohr revealed that the coach has long relied on players who are active with their club sides and Ezenwa is presently on break, and that could see him miss out on the squad for the games against Algeria and Argentina.
Ezenwa’s exclusion according to our source will pave the way for Rohr to call up Uzoho, who has so far impressed in the two games he has played for the first team of Deportivo La Coruna.
Uzoho, Daniel Akpeyi and possibly Dele Alampasu are for now the three goalkeepers who are likely to be called up although Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel is also under consideration.
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