'Rohr complained about Teslim Balogun pitch' - CAR coach insists Nigeria won't have advantage

Published: October 02, 2021

Central African Republic coach Raoul Savoy does not believe the Super Eagles playing at the Teslim Balogun Stadium pitch will give the three-time African champions an advantage.

The playing surface at the Teslim Balogun Stadium is notoriously in a bad condition especially when it rains.

The Super Eagles managed to earn a 2-0 win in their opening 2022 World Cup qualifier versus Liberia despite the difficult playing field which has poor drainage.

Savoy revealed that his friend Gernot Rohr has already warned him about the pitch in Surulere and hopes it doesn't rain on Thursday.

"I got information because I talked with Gernot Rohr. We are friends, you know coaches talk together," Savoy said in an Instagram conversation with Pascal.

"Of course he was complaining about the pitch, I think we'll see. In all cases the field is for both teams so I don't think it's an advantage for the local team but for us we'll see because you know sometimes it's like this.

"But it's true that in 2021 normally we must play on a good pitch always not in this kind of bad one but we'll see on Thursday. Maybe if it doesn't rain the pitch can be good."

Nigeria will qualify for the third and final round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers with two games to spare if they beat Central African Republic home and way, and other results go their way.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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