Under - fire Nigeria manager Stephen Keshi has admitted that the first half performance of his charges in their 3 - 2 loss to Congo was nothing to write home about, and has suggested that the antics of the opponents affected the composure of his team in the last 45 minutes.

Celtic utility man Efe Ambrose opened scoring for the African Champions, who then conceded three goals before a late goal from Warri Wolves Gbolahan Salami decided the game’s outcome.

“I told them they were not playing their game. They were not themselves, they were not playing, they were second to the ball and they needed to change the mentality,” Stephen Keshi told reporters.

“They came back in the second half and you could see the difference. But if you are playing a team like this, they are going to come hard and park the bus. And that’s what they did in the second half. Who won’t do it?

“I can understand the frustration, the Congolese team delaying the game, killing the game. It became an anger problem and its part of the game.”

Nigeria will clash with South Africa in Cape Town on September 10 in their second Group A fixture.