Eagles thrash Togo, improve on FIFA ranking
The Super Eagles ended their camping exercise in France yesterday with a comprehensive 3 - 0 win over Togo in an international friendly played in Paris.
Gernot Rohr’s experimental side, without the like of Ogenyi Onazi, John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and Carl Ikeme were too strong for the Hawks in the match.
Yesterday’s match is one of the tune-up games arranged by Coach Gernot Rohr to test the players ahead of next weekend’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa in Uyo.
Ahmed Musa, who wedded last week scored twice, while Manchester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho scored the third goal for the Super Eagles.
The Eagles showed they meant business as early as the third minute when Alex Iwobi took out a couple of players with nice footwork to work a ball into the box with was punched by the goalie into the path of Ahmed Musa who tapped in.
Musa got his second some twenty minutes later when Alex Iwobi once again fed the Leicester City man to tap in once again.
The Eagles were totally dominant and they continued to press with Kelechi Iheanacho once again tapping into the net after Etebo had dribbled the goalie to lay on the ball for him.
Meanwhile, the Eagles have moved two places up in the monthly FIFA world rankings released yesterday, as the team now occupy 38th position in the world.
Yesterday’s ranking is an improvement from the 40th spot they were the last term, and are now rated the fourth best team in Africa behind Egypt, Senegal and Cameroon.
The three-time African champions are yet to lose a game since German coach Gernot Rohr took charge, and the last time they suffered a defeat was in March last year, when they were beaten 1-0 by Egypt in a 2017 AFCON qualifier in Alexandria.
In the African rankings, Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon and Congo DR are among the continent’s best five teams in the order, with the Indomitable Lions better placed than their next World Cup opponents, the Super Eagles.
Nigeria’s two other 2018 World Cup World Cup qualifying rivals - Algeria and Zambia - sit in the 53rd and 99th place respectively in the updated ranking.
Meanwhile, South Africa, who the Super Eagles face this month in an AFCON qualifier, occupy the 65th position in the global ranking.
In the world rankings, Brazil, Argentina and Germany are the top three teams in the world, followed by Chile and Colombia.
The next FIFA Ranking is set for July 6.