Nigeria coach saddened by explosion at home ahead of World Cup match

Published December 04, 2015

Nigeria's coach Stephen Keshi gives instructions to his players during the group F World Cup soccer match against Argentina at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Wednesday, June 25, 2014. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) (The Associated Press)

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi says he is saddened by the deadly explosion at an Abuja shopping mall shortly before his team played at the World Cup, and that his team's progression to the second round is unlikely to offer any solace to the country as it suffers terrorist attacks.

He said Wednesday "how much of a victory is football going to give for those lives?"

Last week, a bomb struck a World Cup viewing site in Nigeria, killing 14. Wednesday's explosion was blamed on Islamic extremists but it was unclear if it was timed to coincide with the match

Keshi said "what are they doing these guys? They did it the first game, and they now they did it again, it is sad."

Nigeria became the first African nation to reach the knockout stages in Brazil despite losing 3-2 against Argentina.

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