Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has admitted that his players did not play at full throttle against Benin Republic on Saturday, as the players relaxed on knowing that they had already qualified for the next Africa Cup of Nations, megasportsarena.com reports.
Getting news about a goalless draw between Sierra Leone and their hosts, Lesotho well ahead of Saturday’s kick-off in Porto Novo meant there was nothing to play for except pride, and the Eagles were relaxed for the face-off.
Paul Onuachu, though, had more than pride to play for, as he needed to cement his place back into the Nigerian squad, such that he took with aplomb the opportunity to score only his second international goal, and what a back-breaker in turned out to be for the hosts.
That goal, which came in the third minute of added time, just three seconds way from the referee’s final blast of the whistle, meant Benin Republic would no longer qualify alongside Nigeria on the same evening, and The Squirrels will now have to get at least a draw in the last game away to Sierra Leone on Tuesday.
Following Saturday’s win, the Eagles are certain to top Group L of AFCON qualifying regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s last match against Lesotho at Teslim Balogun Stadium, and Rohr was left feeling some sympathy for Republic of Benin.
Onuachu’s goal put a shocking halt to celebrations among the small amount of Beninese fans that had been allowed to watch the game at Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto-Novo, as they were on the brink of qualifying for Cameroon 2022.
The Racing Genk of Belgium’s tall striker’s header changed the story, just as the referee was set to blow his whistle for the last time in that game, thereby ending Benin’s eight-year unbeaten run at home, but Rohr hinted that his side would have had a bigger win margin had they not already qualified before kick-off.
Rohr said: “It’s easier to play if you are already qualified so the players wanted to go ahead. The challenge was to win here since 2013, Benin has not lost a match at home and the players absolutely wanted to do so.
“(They wanted) to be the first in eight years to beat them. It hurts my heart to see an opponent lose at the last second but it’s true there is no place for emotions, really in football.”
