Loss to Mexico a 'good experience' for Nigeria – Olorundare

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In his absence, Gernot Rohr’s men were steamrolled by El Tri in Los Angeles, but, the veteran striker insists the loss can be a positive

Dele Olorundare believes Nigeria will learn valuable lessons from the heavy defeat to Mexico in Sunday’s international friendly.

Parading a squad predominantly made up of players plying their trade in the Nigeria Professional Football League, Gernot Rohr’s men were overpowered 4-0 at the Los Angeles Coliseum in the absence of the German.

Hector Herrera’s double as well as strikes from Rogelio Funes Mori and Jonathan dos Santos were enough for all El Tri to stroll past the West African side in the United States of America.

Nigeria leaked two goals in the opening four minutes before going on to concede two more goals in the second half as they failed to muster a single shot on target.

The ex-international was not staggered by the way Rohr’s team fell apart, so he refused to be too downbeat at the final scoreline.

“I feel it was a good result for the Super Eagles because I wasn’t expecting much from them,” Olorundare told Goal.

“Look at the Mexicans, they paraded highly experienced players who play for big teams in Europe.

“So, it would have been irrational hoping the result ends the other way around.

“Personally, I see the result as an eye-opener for the team and the experience gathered would be useful for the players going forward in their careers.

“Also, I am pretty sure they would put up a better showing in subsequent international games. Indeed, it was a good experience and Nigerians should not write them off judging by the result.”

Notwithstanding the scoreline, the former Sunshine Stars and Shooting Stars goal machine is appealing to the Nigeria Football Federation to organise more games for the team in a bid to make them a formidable unit.

“When I learnt about the international friendly, it gave me a lot of joy because this is what we have been clamouring for overtime,” he continued.

“The result may not be encouraging but I will beg the NFF that they should continue with this initiative because I strongly believe with matches of this magnitude, our home-based professionals would gel better a become a force to be reckoned with.”

Nigeria’s next focus would be on their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualification campaign which begins in September.

To stand a chance of qualifying for the global football showpiece billed for Qatar, the three-time African champions must negotiate their way past Cape Verde, Central African Republic and Liberia in Group B.

2021-07-04 23:00:06

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