Ivorian Coach hails Eagles
Nigeria’s 2-0 loss to the Elephants of Cote D’ Ivoire in the
final leg of the final round of the CHAN qualifier has been described as a good
experience for the national team by Head Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi. “We
thank God we qualified at the end of the day but my boys did not pick up till
the second half and I must say to you that I am happy and this is a great
experience for a young side like the home based side”.
The former Stade D Abidjan libero admitted that his players
were jittery at the start of the match which led to them conceding two quick
goals in the first half but they woke up and gave a good account of themselves
in the second. “If you say it was a game of two halves I may tend to agree with
you. Because we started poorly largely due to experience and then when we came
into the game they struggled against us, but that is football, we are just
grateful to the NFF, Nigerians and God that we made it for the first time to
the CHAN tournament”.
Ivorian Coach, Saraka Norbert, who also spoke at the post
match conference admitted that the Nigerian side were slightly more experienced
than his side, even as he refused to blame the two red cards the team received
in the first leg in Kaduna for his side’s ouster. “Nigeria is a great country
economically, socially and even in football and we must admit that when we get
to their heights in the near future, Ivorian football will be great again”, he
said.
Norbert again reiterated his love for the Nigerian handler,
whom he once again described as an Ivorian and wished him well in his future
endeavours.
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