Luxembourg attacker Lars Gerson has downplayed Nigeria’s 3-1 defeat of the Red Lions in their friendly encounter in Luxembourg City on Tuesday.
Olympiakos’ Brown Ideye, Manchester’s City Kelechi Iheanacho and Watford’s Odion Ighalo hit the back of the net each to seal victory over the tiny European nation at Stade Josy Barthel.
But 16-year-old Bayern Munich target Vincent Thill pulled a goal back for the Lions, who are 146th in the world rankings against the Eagle’s 67th, as the game entered the closing stages.
Luxembourg have not qualified for the World Cup since its inception in Uruguay in 1930. They have not qualified for the European Championship since 1960.
Luxembourg manager Luc Holtz left out star players Dan da Mota, Tom Schnell and Dave Turpel for the clash to give the young players a chance to impress, while his Nigeria counterpart Salisu Yusuf featured star players on the night.
Gerson, who plies his trade with Swedish side GIF Sundsvall, insists the result of the game would have been different if the team’s regular players had featured in the match.
“We know we can play better than that. But we were missing some regulars and others have had a long season and are maybe tired,” Luxemburger Wort quoted the 26-year-old, who has 52 caps for his country, as saying on Wednesday.
“Nigeria were a good physical side who played some quick football.”
Meanwhile, a row between two agencies representing Iheanacho is expected to drag on until September.
The hearing of the case before the FA was slated for May 9, but up till now what has happened have being arguments and defences by the agencies involved – Stellar Group, who are based in the United Kingdom, and First Eleven from the USA.
“The longer this case drags the better it is for Manchester City and bad for the player,” a source told AfricanFootball.com.
Source: punch
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