Super eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has served up a strong hint that he will again tinker with his squad for Sunday’s last group match at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, megasportsarena.com reports.
After stunning the watching world by making an uncharacteristic sweep of five changes to his starting line-up for his team’s second game of the championship, which they won 1-0 against Guinea, after opening with the same result in the opening match versus Burundi last Saturday, Rohr is set to follow suit.
Although Sunday’s last game in Group B took on a new dimension, when Madagascar beat Burundi 1—0 on Thursday, thereby putting them only two points behind Nigeria and the possibility of going top should they beat the Eagles, Rohr has been impressed by massive shows in training by all his second-string players.
Even Victor Osimhen, who bowed to injury on Friday and recuperating Samuel Kalu have redoubled their efforts, while Shehu Abdullahi and Jamilu Collins are eager to resume full training with the squad, all to Rohr’s delight.
The Franco-German gaffer has now hinted at his latest inclinations, after seeing his lads strecht themselves to the fullest in their last training session at Arab Academy of Science, Technology ^ Maritime Transport in Alexandria, Egypt.
However, despite Rohr’s enthusiasm, Abdullahi and Collins are still doubtful for this Sunday’s clash, as they sat out the full training and had individual sessions with the physiotherapist, while the rest of the squad started with some jogging exercises.
Afterwards, Rohr split the squad into two groups of ten players each, with the first set wearing red kit, while the other team wore black half vests over green jerseys.
In the first selection were Daniel Akpeyi, Kenneth Omeruo, Moses Simon, Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi, Samuel Kalu, Samuel Chukwueze, John Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa, Odion Jude Ighalo and Francis Odinaka Uzoho, who had an outfield role, instead manning the sticks.
Those in the second squad were Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Olaoluwa Aina, Leon Aderemi Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Chidozie Awaziem, John Ugochukwu Ogu, Oghenekaro Etebo, Henry Onyekuru, Paul Ebere Onuachu and Victor Osimhen, while Alex Iwobi featured in a neutral role, with the session appearing to show Rophr’s plans for Sunday’s tie.
The gaffer then went on to serve up a strong hint that Osimhen and Onyekuru may ghet starting roles in Sunday’s game, but remain cagey with a specific declaration that all the players are still battling for spots in the starting line-up.
Rohr said during a press conference on Saturday morning: ”I can say you can expect some changes because I want to put everybody under pressure to be concerned by the matches.
”There is competition for each position now, even in the goalkeeper department, even in the central defense, even for the striker positions.
”We will see in the last training this evening which changes we can make. In the last match we had five changes and it’s possible that there will be changes in the match.
”I don’t believe that they (Madagascar) are tired because they won the game and they are a team which is very fit.
”They have good staff, I know them French people who are working very well, fitness coach, Nicolas Dupuis is a very good coach in France so they are really very fit.
”They have the experience to recover very quickly, and they started like us on the same day and (Sunday’s) match is very open against this good team of Madagascar.”
