Gernot Rohr unfazed with loss to Czech Republic

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Friday Jun 08, 2018. 17:07

Despite losing 1-0 to Czech Republic on Wednesday, Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr remains satisfied with his side.

The West Africans are set to jet out to Russia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and Rohr has promised that his players will deliver a better performance against Croatia at the World Cup on 16 June.

Despite losing three of their last four warm-up games and drawing the other, Rohr is focusing on the global tournament.

The Super Eagles boss also pointed to the fact that Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who had been out since April with a hamstring injury, is fit.

"We lost again another match, everybody is angry about it and this anger is positive," Rohr told BBC Sport.

"After we won against Argentina in a friendly [in November], everyone talked about us reaching the semi-final and now the results have humbled those voices.

"Because we need humility, it is helping us. We also need solidarity and hard work. Everybody understands this after the defeat to Czech Republic.

"We also had some positive lessons especially with the return of Ndidi. He has not played for two months.

"It was very important to see him playing again. Normally, he should play 70 minutes but could play 90 minutes which is very good.

"The medical team did a great job and Ndidi will be fit for the World Cup."

The Nigerians are in Group D and will face Argentina, Croatia and Iceland in Russia.