SUPER Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, has expressed optimism that the World Cup 2018 campaign of the team will remain intact, despite not playing at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Two of the Super Eagles group opponents, Algeria and Cameroon featured in the AFCON 2017 tournament, which the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon’s are poised to win.
“We are in good position to qualify. I don’t think our not participating in the AFCON will have effects on the team.
“I sincerely believe we will do everything possible to qualify for the World Cup going by the commitment of the players,” he said.
He said he was relying on his relatively young and success hungry team to keep the momentum.
“It is an interesting challenge, to have a new team, a young team, to build a team with players who really have the spirit of the country, who want to play, to fight, to give their all, who don’t want to speak about material things, but who are here because they want to play for their country,” Rohr said.
“We have a good captain with experience, we have found some defenders to make us stronger at the back and I think the spirit and harmony of the team is very good. But we know the important times come now. The Super Eagles top group B with six points, having defeated Zambia 2-1 and Algeria 3-1 in their opening two group matches. They face a very tough tie against Cameroon on August 28 in Uyo, a match that could determine the fate of the two teams.”
