Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has said it would be exciting to lead the Super Eagles to a first-ever win in Zambia on Sunday, Africanfootball.com reports.
Nigeria enjoy a superior head-to-head record against Zambia, but have yet to beat the Chipolopolo at their backyard.
“We have never won in Zambia, so it will be exciting, a big challenge for us to be the first team to do this. We can do it,” he said.
“Our motivation is to finish top of a tough group. We have a big chance to finish top. The players must work for all 180 million Nigerians.”
Rohr, who has coached Gabon, Burkina Faso and Niger, has done a good homework on Zambia and he and the team have watched videos of their last five matches.
“They are strong in attack, have good players who are getting old, experienced but less quick. They were African champions in Gabon, big experience perhaps not as quick. It’s an important game against a good team,” he said.
“They want to win after they missed the AFCON, same motivation like us but we are more motivated because I feel my team want absolutely to win this game.
“But we must also be careful when you want to win a game away, you should not forget to defend well. We must therefore be careful.
“They have 14 home-based players and this could be an advantage because they work together, unlike our players who are coming late. But we have the international experience.
“They play short passes and they could also play long passes from behind to search for Kalengo and Mbesuma, two good strikers, and on the second post, they have Rainford Kalaba, who is quick, who can score and pass well.
“What we don’t know is that perhaps they will change their strategy with the new coach. But we have to adapt. We have our strategy, we play our game, our team is more important than the other team.”
