Mikel Tells Eagles: We Should Improve on Set Pieces

Nigeria’s captain John Obi Mikel has urged his teammates to tighten up on set-pieces.

The Super Eagles were left counting losses after two goals conceded gifted The Blazers of Croatia all points.

First Oghenekaro Etebo inadvertently converted into his own net in attempt to ward off looming danger after Modric had swung in a corner.

Then the erstwhile Tottenham star stepped up in the 71^st minute to slot home the game’s second goal, sending Nigeria’s net-minder Francis Odinaka Uzoho the wrong way.

And in the wake this, the ex-Chelsea man and captain Mikel has urged his teammates to toughen up on set pieces.

While describing the defeat ‘difficult to explain’, the Jos-born 31-year-old said the issue was initially worked on at training ground.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“It’s difficult to explain. We talked about it and considering the fact that we trained on it. It’s four goals conceded now from set-piece. We have to keep going to try to improve on set pieces,”[/perfectpullquote]

the Tianji TEDA man said.

Obi got the nod from the start before being hauled off for Crotone’s Tochukwo Simeon Nwankwo four minutes from regular time.

Mikel has started in all Nigeria’s games beginning from the exhibition matches in the run-up to the World Cup.

Up next for the Super Eagles is tie with minnows Iceland who on Saturday shocked Argentina, holding them to a 1-1 stalemate.