Finidi George Reflects On Draw With South Africa Ahead Of Super Eagles Vs Benin Clash

The Super Eagles head coach, Finidi George believes that his team had a sloppy start to their game against South Africa on Friday, hence the 1-1 draw.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria started the game on a bad note by conceding a goal as early as the 29th minute. Finidi George and his boys waited until the 46th minute before they scored the equalizer.

After the unexpected 1-1 draw with South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, the coach stressed that a draw was better than a defeat.

The former Enyimba of Aba manager said, “We entered the game a little bit sloppy, we didn’t create much but I think in the second half, immediately we scored that goal, we took over. They had a couple of moments when they threatened a bit but we had all the shots, all the chances to have won it. Overall, I think it was not a bad second half.

“In the first half, I felt we should have done a little bit better or entered the game a little bit quicker. It didn’t happen so we conceded that goal. The players reacted so well in the second half. It’s not the best result we wanted, but a draw is better than losing and we will get our heads up and see how we can win the next match.”

George and his boys have a date with Benin Republic in Abidjan at 5 p.m. later today, June 10, 2024. The Super Eagles are condemned to win the game to move beyond the 5th spot in Group C.

Interestingly, a former coach of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr who has worked with most members of the Nigerian team, will be in charge of the cheetahs of Benin but Finidi believes that won’t be a problem.

“That doesn’t change anything. If he knows the players, doesn’t know the players, it’s Benin, the players that he had before they are still around, that means he should be fearful. If he knows the players so well and he has coached them, he should know they are a bunch of good players that we have in the national team,” Finidi George told reporters ahead of the game.

“I’ve always said it, I want to see attractive football and you must risk if you want to win, you can’t just sit back and feel the goals will come, you have to enforce it which we did in the second half but unfortunately it didn’t happen. We should repeat the second-half performance against South Africa in Abidjan. That will give us a positive result that will change the narrative and that’s what we want to do on Monday.”