Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo has revealed that manager Gernot Rohr has instructed the players not to commit fouls close to the 18-yard box ahead of Sunday evening's Africa Cup of Nations semifinal showdown against Algeria.

Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi committed a foul just outside the box against Madagascar and from the resultant free-kick, Carolus Andriamahitsinoro doubled the opponents advantage.

And in their last game against South Africa, Bongani Zungu headed home to make it 1-1 after Percy Tau lofted a free-kick into the area.

It is known that North African players try to give their teams the upper hand by using dirty tricks to win fouls and try to get their opponents sent off and the Super Eagles have to manage this situation which is likely to occur tomorrow.

Speaking at today's press conference, Omeruo told reporters : ''One thing my coach has said over and over again is no fouls especially around the box because we have conceded two goals from these free-kicks and they are just easy free-kicks, so I think the best way is to stay focused.

''We know they are quick players and we are also quick as well, so we have to be very careful and make sure there are no contacts especially around the 18-yard box.

''It is football, it happens everywhere, attackers try to cheat, they try to fall down to get foul but the best way is to stay smart and think ahead before them''.

On his message to the young players in the Super Eagles team, Omeruo added : ''The approach from the group stage is not to think about the final, think about the next game we are going to play, we have always talked about playing the next game and after the next game prepare for the next game.

''You never know if you keep winning like this, then at the end you can get to the final. For now the approach is the Algerian game.''

The Super Eagles number 22 earned his 50th cap against South Africa on July 10, two weeks after scoring his first international goal against Guinea.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : cafonline.com