Nigeria have said they are condemned to beat Greece in Thursday’s Group B match in Free State so as to keep alive their World Cup hopes
Nigeria clashed with the Greeks at the 1994 World Cup with the “Super Eagles†running away with a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Finidi George and Daniel Amokachi.
“It’s a must win for us against Greece,†said Locomotiv Moscow striker Osaze Odemwingie after the 1-0 loss to Argentina on Saturday.
“I’m very positive. If we could just concede a goal against the big Argentina attack, it should be easier for us against the other teams. We just have to keep our concentration and score goals. We’re now a bigger threat than we were at the Nations Cup in Angola.â€
Odemwingie, who admitted he was shocked to be on the bench for the Argentina match, disclosed he will be a lot more selfish in front of goal after he failed to score from a quick counter after coming on as a substitute in the second half of the game.
“I was thinking of passing the ball when I should have shot at goal. The way (Obafemi) Martins was shouting on me to pass to him the ball, I thought he was in a better position. I lost concentration and the chance,†he said. “Next time, I will just go for goal.â€
Nigeria’s task to reach the round of 16 has been made a lot tougher after South Korea defeated Greece 2-0 in the other Group B, also on Saturday.
Skipper Joseph Yobo said the team will improve so as to win on Thursday.
“We will get better by the next game and show the real Nigerian team. We only need to do a little more against Greece to win and we will be back in contention,†said the Everton defender, who was also on the losing side when the Eagles tackled Argentina eight years ago.
Man of the match against Argentina, goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, said Nigeria will be aiming for maximum points against Greece and Korea so as to make it past the first round of the tournament.
“I see no problems in us beating Korea and Greece and I think we will qualify quite easily,†predicted Enyeama, who said he would have readily traded his heroics against the South Americans for the three points at stake at the weekend.
“Now the most important thing is to look towards the next game (on Thursday against Greece) and go on to win it,†added Nigeria coach, Lars Lagerback, who has received credit for transforming the team within such a short time.
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