Eagles Dismiss Allegations They Are After Financial Gains
• We Will Massacre Madagascar, Says Moses
SUPER Eagles players have dismissed the allegation that they are only after monetary rewards in the on-going Egypt 2019 AFCON.
There has been mixed reactions to earlier reports from the team’s camp that the players stayed away from training and a pre-match conference in protest of the delay in payment of wages. But the team’s assistant captain, Ahmed Musa said at a press conference yesterday ahead today’s last group match against Madagascar that the team is not putting money first.
“We are patriotic Nigerians, and we don’t put money first. We are in this competition to make Nigeria proud,” he said. Meanwhile, Coach Gernot Rohr has described today’s match against Madagascar as a potentially tough game, just as he revealed that
Jamilu Collins and Shehu Abudullahi would miss the match due to fitness issue. He, however, said the team has capable replacements for the duo, adding that he would field some fresh players in their stead today. Meanwhile, Nigerians, who have been worried by the low score line recorded by the Super Eagles in their first two
games against Burundi and Guinea at the on-going Egypt 2019 AFCON, may have course to smile today when Nigeria take on Madagascar in their last group match in Alexandria if a declaration by the team’s attacker, Moses Simon is anything to go by. The team scored 1-0 against Burundi and Guinea respectively to hit the round of 16, a scoreline many Nigerians are not impressed with. A win in today’s tie against Madagascar to see the Eagles remaining on top of the group, and a guarantee to play the round of 16 tie here in Alexandria on July 7. Speaking with The Guardian at the Helnan Palestine Hotel, Simon, who plies his soccer trade with Spanish Laliga Club, Levante, said: “I don’t really see any reason why Nigerians should be bothered by the 1-0 score we recorded against Burundi and Guinea, but we will go for more goals on Sunday against Madagascar.”
Simon continues: “In football, what matters most is the three points, which we got against Burundi and Guinea. But I have read series of reports that the team was not inspiring in those two matches simply because the score line was low. We will target more goals against Madagascar on Sunday.” Simon believes the players in the current Super Eagles squad are capable of delivering the goals whenever the opportunity comes.