Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr has given hints on the Super Eagles prospect of qualifying from the group phase of the World Cup to be hosted in Russia.
For the fifth time in six FIFA World Cup appearances, Nigeria will be playing against Argentina in the group phase come next year summer in Russia.
Three-time African champions, Nigeria, will also tackle European teams Iceland and Croatia in Group D.
Rohr in his reaction to the draw said the Super Eagles will have to be up and doing if they are to make it through to the next phase.
In Russia, the Super Eagles’ first match will be against Croatia at the 35,000 –capacity Kaliningrad Stadium on Saturday, June 16, 2018.
Rohr harped on the fact that Nigeria need to start well in their first game.
“It’s the first game and if we start well we can have a chance to go through. Croatia will be the most important game because they have technical quality and play very good football. I played with Bogdan at Hadjuk Split and I know that Croatian players are quick and technically very strong. At the moment, they are one of the best teams in Europe and beat Greece 4-1 in the play-offs so we have to be prepared and ready for them”
For their second match, Nigeria will fly to Volgograd, where they take on Iceland at the 45,000 –capacity Volgograd Arena on Friday, June 22, 2018 and Rohr equally noted the importance of the game.
“They have a lot of fans who usually act as their number 12 player. I saw them play at the European Championship in 2016 and the supporters were very massive as they got all the way to the quarter-finals. Their fans will be there and it will be like they’re playing at home.” Rohr stated.
On the final group opponents, Argentina, Rohr noted that the recent victory recorded over the two-time world champions in a friendly will count for less in the World Cup proper.
“When we played and beat Argentina 4-2, they did not have Lionel Messi who’s arguably the best player in the world.” Rohr noted.
“So when we faced them at the World Cup, they’ll be stronger with him playing. On the other side, we scored four goals and he’s not going to play in defence so if we can score more goals against their defence than he will lead his team to score against us, then we will be fine.
“We showed that it was possible to win against Argentina, but it will be a different ball game and we have to be strong both mentally and physically. It will also be a difficult game for them,” Rohr concluded.
Source: ( Punch Newspaper )

North Korea held mass celebrations for its latest successful long-range missile test, Pyongyang’s state media said Saturday, with a propaganda-filled display of fireworks and dancing in public squares.
The ruling Workers Party official daily Rodong Sinmun covered its front page with colour photographs showing thousands of tightly packed soldiers and people applauding in Pyongyang’s Kim Il-Sung square, which was decorated with large portraits of the North’s late leaders.
“We heartily celebrate the successful test launch of the Hwasong-15 which showed Chosun (North Korea)’s power and greatness to the whole world”, read one banner held up by the crowd, referring to the missile.
North Korea on Wednesday successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile, with leader Kim Jong-Un declaring his country had now achieved full nuclear statehood.
The US in response warned that Kim Jong-Un’s regime would be “utterly destroyed” if its pursuit of a long-range nuclear missile arsenal provokes a military clash, and has battled to maintain international solidarity in the face of North Korea’s nuclear threat.
Kim himself was absent from the celebrations — he usually stays away from such events — but Friday’s gathering drew key military, party and government leaders.
“Long Live the General Kim Jong-Un who has brought us the great historic cause of nuclear statehood”, another banner read.
Vice Chairman Pak Kwang-Ho of the party’s decision-making Central Committee told the crowd that, after Wednesday’s test launch, “now no one can infringe our sovereignty and rights to survive and develop”, according to the daily.
He said that the United States had been “jolted” at the strengthening of North Korea’s nuclear force and could attempt to commit “robber-like” provocative acts.
He repeated Kim’s warning that the North would respond with the “highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history”.
Kim first made the threat in September in response to US President Donald Trump’s UN speech threatening to destroy the North and mocking him as “Little Rocket Man”.
The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system used in Wednesday’s test is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead capable of striking the whole mainland of the US, the North said.
But analysts remain unconvinced that the North has mastered the technology required to launch and direct a missile, and ensure it survives the difficult re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Tensions are expected to rise further in the coming week as South Korea and the United States launch a massive air force drill mobilising some 230 aircraft including six US F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighters.
Source: (AFP)

Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr has given hints on the Super Eagles prospect of qualifying from the group phase of the World Cup to be hosted in Russia.
For the fifth time in six FIFA World Cup appearances, Nigeria will be playing against Argentina in the group phase come next year summer in Russia.
Three-time African champions, Nigeria, will also tackle European teams Iceland and Croatia in Group D.
Rohr in his reaction to the draw said the Super Eagles will have to be up and doing if they are to make it through to the next phase.
In Russia, the Super Eagles’ first match will be against Croatia at the 35,000 –capacity Kaliningrad Stadium on Saturday, June 16, 2018.