NIGERIA head coach, Gernot Rohr, has explained why he excluded Al Shabab of Saudi striker, Odion Ighalo, from Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Liberia.
The German tactician said the late arrival of Ighalo in the camp informed his decision not to field him against the Lone Stars of Liberia.
Recall that Ighalo, was recalled by Rohr two years after he called it quits with international football.
The former Watford star who helped Nigeria to win the bronze at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt and also won the tournament’s Golden Boot with five goals, only reported to the Super Eagles’ camp in Tangier, Morocco, on Thursday from Saudi Arabia, which made the gaffer to exclude him from the game.
“No, the reason that we asked Ighalo to come back is that we have such a young team, they [strikers] are very young 22, 23, 21,” Rohr said at a post match press conference.
“Our strikers are all very young, [Chidera] Ejuke is coming now, [Samuel] Chukwueze is coming back from an injury.
“Everybody is young, we need somebody to help them with his experience in the striker position and he [Ighalo] is a good goalscorer we know it.
“We are happy to have him back, he [Ighalo] only arrived on Thursday that’s why he couldn’t participate in this match.
“I hope that in the next match on Tuesday, he [Ighalo] will be able to help us much more.”
Meanwhile, Ighalo’s return to international football is expected to be sealed on Tuesday when Nigeria host Cape Verde at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos