Russia’s head coach, Valery Karpin, has dropped a bombshell, claiming his team deserved far more than a 1-1 draw against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Moscow.
His strong words immediately raise questions about the match and whether the Nigerian side truly earned their point, Footballrover reports.
Russia coach’s bold claim: Super Eagles no threat?
In his post-match interview, the Russia gaffer didn’t hold back, suggesting that the Eagles posed almost no offensive danger.
Despite the draw at Luzhniki Stadium, Karpin highlighted his team’s impressive performance, stating,
“They didn’t create threats for us, but we created chances.”
He pointed to several missed opportunities for Russia, including chances from Melekhin and Barinov, and even downplayed the legitimacy of Nigeria’s goal, calling it a “mistake” rather than a created play.
This bold assessment from the Russia coach clearly indicates his belief that his team dominated the encounter.
Super Eagles vs. Zambia: A different story for Karpin
While critical of the Nigerian team’s attacking output, Karpin did acknowledge their overall quality compared to previous opponents.
He admitted that the Nigerian side was “noticeably higher in level than Zambia and Kenya” and even referenced FIFA rankings to support this view.
Russia had recently thrashed Zambia 5-0, making the 1-1 draw with the Super Eagles a somewhat less dominant result for the European side.
However, despite recognising the Eagles’ athletic and powerful nature, Karpin maintained his stance that his team should have secured a victory against a side he felt offered little in terms of direct threat.
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