Head coach of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr, has admitted his players were relaxed at the end of the game, when they wanted to force Algeria into extra time in their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash and has singled out match winner Riyad Mahrez as the “genius who made the difference
Nigeria had levelled the game through Odion Ighalo’s penalty, after they went behind in the first half.
But with the final kick of the match, Mahrez struck an unstoppable free-kick past Daniel Akpeyi, to ensure the Desert Foxes will play in the final.
While speaking to Reuters, he said: “It was a big fight until the last minute, it was a wonderful match, I think my players wanted it to go to extra time thinking Algeria were more tired.
We scored an own goal, unlucky, but we have come back every time in this tournament and this time we came back on a penalty. But a wonderful free kick from a football genius made the difference.”
Nigeria will face Tunisia in Wednesday’s third-place encounter at the Al-Salam
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