Every word Rohr said on Ndidi, Iwobi, Ighalo, young players, penalties, Liberia, Cape Verde

Nigeria defeated Liberia 2-0 at the Stade Ibn Batouta in Tangier on Saturday evening to set up a winner-take-all clash with nearest Group C challengers Cape Verde on the final day of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

The three-time African champions made it four wins from a possible five thanks to penalties converted by Victor Osimhen and Ahmed Musa.

Addressing the media shortly after the game, manager Gernot Rohr gave his verdict on the win against Liberia, penalty goals scored by his team, return of Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi, the upcoming meeting with Cape Verde and explained why Odion Ighalo didn't participate in the game.

Below you can read every word Rohr said at the post-match press conference :

Let us now switch to the coach of the Super Eagles Mr Gernot Rohr. Congratulations coach Rohr. Alright coach, ninety minutes plus few added minutes, would you say it was exactly the strategy that you adopted that was executed on the field of play?

"The game was not easy for us and we knew before that this match like the first match already in Lagos, we scored in the first half leading 2-0, it was even more difficult today despite the good pitch.

"We tried to play our quick football with few touches and going vertically forward but the opponent was very organized and made a big fight so we also had to fight and to accept the duel in the air and on the ground and it was not easy.

"We got these two penalties but we were not able to score a goal playing football only these two penalties. I think they were clear penalties but I would prefer to score normal goals and we could not. I hope we can do it in three days in the final game.

"I think that the comeback of some players like Ndidi, like Iwobi who didn't play the last time is a good thing for us. Opportunity to score for them and we have still to work on our realism offensively and there is still a lot of work to do."

Coach, you talked about not scoring goals from normal play. Perhaps was that the reason why you would say you had to get back Odion Jude Ighalo?

"No, the reason we asked Ighalo to come back is that we have such a young team, they are very young 22, 23, 21. Our strikers are all very young, Ejuke is coming now, Chukwueze is coming back from injury.

"Everybody is young, we need somebody to help them with his experience in the striker position and he's a good goalscorer we know it.

"We are happy to have him back, he only arrived on Thursday that's why he couldn't participate in this match.

"I hope that in the next match next Tuesday he will be able to help us much more."

With the qualities of players you have, not scoring from open play, is that disappointing for you as a coach?

"When you score two goals it's not a disappointment, when you win 2-0 it's not a disappointment because when you see the penalties they were 1v1 situations. If there is no mistake, no foul, perhaps we will score in normal play like you say.

"We are happy about this victory, we knew before the match already that it is difficult to beat this team. We saw the videos, they were unlucky losing in the last minute, deserving a draw each time but I'm happy that we didn't concede any opportunities defensively and we scored two goals.

"Finally on penalties or no penalties it is a goal, that's the most important and I hope we'll do the same next Tuesday in the final game which will be very important for us."

Central African Republic away to Cape Verde, Cape Verde won the game two goals in the second half. Does this put you and the team under pressure going into the final game?

"Yes of course. We have to make a result not to lose the final game but we are at home. It's good to have pressure for my players, if they believe it's easy, if they believe that it's done, it's always difficult so it's good to play with pressure so they will be able to handle the situation like we did all the time.

"We had one accident, we lost one match, we won four so now the final match we want to win it also."

Ifeanyi Emmanuel