Gernot Rohr eyes Nigeria’s first-ever win in Zambia

Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has said he is looking forward to the team’s first-ever victory in Zambia.


Although Nigeria enjoys a superior head-to-head record against Zambia, they have not been able to defeat the Chipolopolo on their own turf.

The Eagles have a chance to change that statistics, when they take on Zambia in a 2018 World Cup qualifier this Sunday.

“We have never won in Zambia, so it will be exciting, a big challenge for us to be the first team to do this. We can do it,” Rohr said.

“Our motivation is to finish top of a tough group. We have a big chance to finish top. The players must work for all 180 million Nigerians.”

Rohr, who has coached Gabon, Burkina Faso and Niger in the past, revealed that he has done his homework on the Zambians and knows all about the Southern Africa nation.

“They are strong in attack, have good players who are getting old, experienced but less quick,” he added.

“They were African champions in Gabon, big experience perhaps not as quick. It’s an important game against a good team.

“They want to win after they missed the AFCON, same motivation like us but we are more motivated because I feel my team want absolutely to win this game.

“But we must also be careful when you want to win a game away, you should not forget to defend well. We must therefore be careful

“They have 14 home-based players and this could be an advantage because they work together, unlike our players who are coming late. But we have the international experience.

“They play short passes and they could also play long passes from behind to search for Kalengo and Mbesuma, two good strikers, and on the second post, they have Rainford Kalaba, who is quick, who can score and pass well.

“What we don’t know is that perhaps they will change their strategy with the new coach. But we have to adapt.

“We have our strategy, we play our game, our team is more important than the other team.”