Connect with us

Sports

Sloppy starts could ruin Eagles in Russia -Garba Lawal

Published

on

Super Eagles - Garba Lawal

Former Nigeria international Garba Lawal has pointed out a recent trend of beginning poorly in games by the Super Eagles as a factor that could ruin their chances of making an impression in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The global showpiece begins in a week’s time, and the Eagles are currently in Austria, where they played Czech Republic in a friendly on Wednesday.

The match, which was Super Eagles’ final warm-up game ahead of the World Cup, saw them clinch a second straight defeat, losing 1-0 to Czech only four days after falling 2-1 in London against the Three Lions of England.

The team won only one of the five friendly games organised to prepare them for the mundial. They drew one and lost three.

Speaking to Complete Sports, Lawal blamed the last two defeats on the poor starts of the Nigerian team, and warns that they will be punished by bigger teams if they continued the same way at the World Cup.

Read Also: Falcons edge Gambia in AWCON qualifier first leg

“At this level you can’t afford to be chasing games early and hope you will finish stronger to win,” he said, reacting to the defeat to Czech Republic.

“Great teams will punish you for that in tournaments.

“It was the same against England where they (Super Eagles) lost 2-1. After the changes at half time the team played well but they must start well from the blast of the whistle and play well and not wait to react when they are down.

“The reaction too didn’t cause enough panic to the Czech Republic team.”

Lawal, who played for Nigeria at the 1998 World Cup in France, also advised coach Gernot Rohr to get his starting line-up right before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Croatia.

“We have less than 10 days to our first game and I think that should give him enough time to get the best eleven for that game, because it will help their chances of qualifying for the next round,” he added.

Eagles will play Croatia on June 16, before facing Iceland and Argentina on June 22 and 26 respectively in the group stage.

Ripples Nigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now