Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr will likely detail one of his scouts to monitor Tuesday’s final group battle between France and Denmark, as Nigeria will end up playing one of them should they pick a round of 16 ticket on the same day in Russia.
Incidentally, both countries have met Nigeria in the World Cup round of 16 over the past 20 years and are again the prospects for the Eagles at same stage in Russia, once the three-time African champions pick the ticket at the expense of perennial rivals, Argentina.
The only other country to have played Nigeria in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, Italy (at USA 1994) did not make it to this year’s finals in Russia.
Denmark hit the Eagles 4-1 at the Stade de France in Paris in 1998, with the Nigerians failing to fully focus on the match but on a probable quarter –final match-up with Brazil, two years after the Nigeria U23 edged Brazil in the Olympics semi-final in the USA.
Four years ago, France were 2-0 winners at Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia, kicking the Eagles out of Brazil 2014.
France and Denmark have dominated Group C in Russia, each with six points and two-goal credit, which makes their clash in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium decisive to determine top spot and winner, while Peru and Australia have already been eliminated in that section.
The winner of Group C will take on the runner-up of Group D (Nigeria’s section) in the Round of 16 in Kazan on Saturday 30th June, while the winner of Group D will play the runner-up of Group C in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday 1st July.
