The 124th-ranked Central Africans were looking to break Nigerians' hearts twice in four days, but they fell short in Douala
Head coach of the Central African Republic, Raoul Savoy, has revealed the main reason his team lost to Nigeria in the matchday four clash of the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Savoy blames the centre referee Louis Hakizimana for giving the Super Eagles undue advantage, which helped the 2013 Afcon kings to secure a 2-0 victory at the Japoma Stadium in Douala, Cameroon.
The Swiss coach had engineered a shocking 1-0 win over the Nigerians at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on October 7, the Super Eagles' first home defeat in a World Cup qualifier in 40 years.
Another victory in their adopted home in Cameroon would have seen the Central African Republic overtake the three-time African champions at the top of Group C.
But Rangers defender Leon Balogun beat the offside trap to connect with a deep Chidozie Awaziem cross on the half-hour mark to volley home the opening goal for Nigeria in Douala.
And Napoli's Victor Osimhen made it two-nil in first-half stoppage time, after good work from Watford defender William Troost-Ekong.
But coach Savoy insists the referee should not have allowed both goals to stand as the first was offside, and the second arrived after a foul on his goalkeeper.
“Nigeria played with 12 men because the referee helped them to win,” the Swiss tactician told the press after the encounter.
“The first goal was from an offside position, and my goalkeeper was fouled for the second goal.
“We did not concede against Nigeria over the two legs; they scored with the help of the referee.”
The CAR remained third in Group C after that loss, five points behind leaders Nigeria, with their hopes of making it to Qatar 2022 all but over.
The Super Eagles have the Cape Verde Islands to worry about in the final two rounds of matches, though, with the Blue Sharks only two points behind the group leaders after beating Liberia in back-to-back games.
So sore a loser in Savoy. Soar on SUPER EAGLES!
Maybe he was making comment on another game. It’s never his fault, the Eagles sloppy play three days earlier and their not being clinical in this particular one gave him mouth.
Scathing remarks from a bad loser.
Obviously such a gaffer isn’t a role model.
Bravo super eagles,Instant grand reply.
He is not to be blamed though! Can you imagine this man having mouth to talk on Super Eagles. I blame our boys for giving him the guts. If Super Eagles had beaten them blue black in LAGOS, this man would have respected himself. He doesn’t know that defeating Eagles is equivalent to qualifying for world cup. Making mouth with this bunch of antelopes he spoilt our boys’ leg with?
“bunch of antelopes..”
I won’t respond to this coach, do they qualify for Cup of Nations if yes that’ll b a good ground to clear his doubt
Since the era Kanu Nwankwo, Jay Jay Okocha, Rashid Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, etc., the Super Eagles Team has not been the same. They always break my heart.
Sorry o
Who dash monkey banana o!
In a game his team made no attempts at goal and were lucky to concede only 2 goals.
Oh cos we slept in lagos and allowed a goal with our sloppy display, that’s why this one us talking.
Oya if they are that good, they should come 2nd in the group and win all their remaining matches.
This coach like most of you said . He’s a sore loser. Let him go lick his wounds. He doesn’t know how to accept defeat. This is a 21st century!!! Lol. He should work to improve his team and FIFA ranking. That first leg win against Nigeria almost put them on the map. Most people don’t know where Central Africa Republic is with all due respect to good people in that country
Savoy has to say something to retain his job with CAR. Weldone guys.
Lol
Nothing to add
Let see if CAR will win Carp verde
It’s only a pity that Amaju Pinnick uses Super eagle’s matches to play politics. We have a good and standard field in the country where the boys can play comfortably and win matches, he decided to force the boys to play in bad and substandard pitches where they only struggle to play and the result is what we see. When the boys got the opportunity to play in a good pitch, we all saw the result. I hope someone talk some sense to him before it’s too late.
The allegations made against the referee are very serious. CAF should investigate the allegations made by Savoy and impose appropriate sanctions if the allegations are found to frivolous.
I don’t blame him, why wouldn’t him say so. It is because naija players fumble at the first match. If not he shouldn’t have the mouth say such.
It’s all about keeping savoy job with CAR and the underrated patriotic performance our men super eagles put up against CAR in the first leg that is why savoy had all these wrong statement to give out
He must be prosecuted for his statement against the referee let’s see what he will play against liberia and capeverde to rate his job so far
So much for a bad loser.
This is an incompetent coach who could not build on his famous win in Lagos. He was just lucky enough from being beaten by greater scoreline like 4-0. He is a bad example of what a sportsman should be. I doubt if he can exhibit such behaviour in his home country. He can only come to Africa to talk nonsense.