Super Eagles skipper, John Obi Mikel, has accused Egyptian players of cheating in the build-up to the latter’s equaliser on Friday.
Mohamed Salah cancelled out Etebo Oghenakaro’s strike late in the game to ensure both nations ended a highly tensed encounter in a draw.
The Roma winger scored few minutes after Nigeria defender, Godfrey Oboabona, went down injured.
And the Chelsea midfielder feels the Pharaohs should have returned the ball to his team as a sign of fair play instead of capitalising to score.
“Everybody is saying we lost the game in the last three minutes but all I can say is that fair play is fair play, it doesn’t matter, fair play is fair play,” Mikel said in press conference after the game.
“Okay you can say we should have concentrated a little more, but fair play is fair play. This is cheating, that is all I can say. It happens in Egypt, it happens everywhere. It doesn’t matter how many minutes it is; you have to allow it. It is the referee that controls the game.
“I think we played very well but we lost a lot of chances that we created that could have fetched us total victory in today’s match against Egypt.”
However, the 28-year-old who captained his country for the first time on Friday assured that with their form, the Eagles can surprise the Egyptians in Tuesday’s return leg in Alexandria.
“I am very optimistic like the coach (Samson Siasia) that the way we played today we have a very good chance of getting a win in Egypt,” Mikel assured.
Meanwhile, Siasia has slammed his defence for losing concentration while also hitting out at the Egyptians for not playing by the rules.
“I blame the defenders for their play,” an angry Siasia said.
You don’t lose concentration in the dying seconds of the game. It was fair play and felt they (Egypt) should have abided by it.”
The Eagles remain two points behind the Pharaohs who have seven points atop Group G with Tanzania lying in third place with four points and Chad yet to earn any.
