..Team awaits FIFA’s approval for Mikel to use cast
Romanus Ugwu, St. Petersburg, Russia
Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr, has declared that his boys will be merciless against the Lionel Messi-powered Argentine side in the crucial Group D encounter in St. Petersburg today.
While assuring that the Eagles will be all out for the maximum points, Rohr told sports writers after the team’s first training at the venue of the encounter that there will be no mercy for Messi.
He noted that though the entire world have been sympathetic of the former World Footballer of the Year, Messi, who is yet to get on the scorers sheet, Eagles will match the Argentines strength for strength.
Rohr, who admitted that the South Americans are more experienced than his players however argued that the Eagles team is a composition of young talents ready to make a statement.
“We understand that this match may be the last World Cup game for the Argentine captain. We are equally aware that the world will be sympathetic to him, but that will not deter us.
“We are going to approach the game with every amount of seriousness and hopefully our young team will triumph over the more experienced Argentina. We will put in everything into the match,” he assured.
Rohr also revealed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will appeal to FIFA to allow Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi to play with a cast on his hand because of the little fracture he had in the last game against Iceland.
“There is no injury concern in the team. Mikel is also okey but he is nursing a slight fracture he sustained during the game against Iceland.
“He will likely play with a cast in his hand, but we will have to formally apply to FIFA to seek its permission to allow him play with the cast,” Rohr revealed.
