Eagles must learn from USA defeat –Eguavoen

 

Eguavoen
| credits: File copy

Former Nigeria coach, Austin Eguavoen, says the Super Eagles must learn some lessons from their 2-1 defeat by the United States of America in their World Cup warm-up tie in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday.

Sunderland striker, Jozy Altidore, bagged a brace in the encounter   at EveBank Field to ensure the Jurgen Klinsmann’s side go into the World Cup unbeaten in their last four encounters. Although on-loan Liverpool forward Victor Moses scored a late penalty for Nigeria, Stephen Keshi’s men remain winless in their last four matches.

According to Goal, Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner Eguavoen feels the defeat is an eye opener for the Eagles, urging the team to correct their mistakes ahead of the World Cup, which kicks-off in Brazil on Thursday.

“Keshi and his backroom staff should take this tape (against USA), watch it keenly with the boys and make them see their mistakes so that they won’t repeat such mistakes when the World Cup starts,” Eguavoen was quoted by Goal as saying on AIT.

“The goals we conceded were avoidable because they could have been avoided and the game could have ended in a draw which would have been a fair result.

“Anyway, it could have been 4-0, 5-0 or 5-1 but I think 2-1 is still a respectable result. The boys made a few mistakes and they should try to work on it.”

Nigeria’s defeat to USA was their first lost in their last three games having forced Scotland and Greece to a draw in other pre-World Cup games.

Meanwhile, USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann has praised Altidore for his performance in the game.

“Obviously it’s a wonderful message to see that Jozy put the thing in the net,” Soccerway.com quoted the German tactician as saying on Sunday.

“It gives him a big smile at the right time now. It will give him a lot of confidence. It’s always a tough period when you don’t score for striker.”

Klinsmann said he told Altidore he had to work harder before the rewards would come.

“The moment comes and you put it in there and then you start to be your own self again, but you’ve got to go through that working process,” he said.

“That’s what I always told him, you’re not getting it for free. You’ve got to go and work for it.

“He got sharper and sharper, fitter and fitter and we knew that if he gets chances, he will put one in.”