Peseiro also said the 25–year–old was everywhere and that he troubled Cameroon with his physicality
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nigeria coach, Jose Peseiro, has hailed Victor Osimhen despite his goal drought at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
He also disclosed that a lady advised him to leave the Napoli sticker on the bench, prior to Nigeria’s win over harsh rivals, Cameroon.
Super Eagles defeated Cameroon 2-0 in AFCON Round of 16 clash on Saturday night after Ademola Lookman’s brace handed Nigeria a famous win over the Indomitable Lions.
But it was Osimhen that did most of the dirty work, most notably when he broke free and laid a pass to Lookman, who saw his weak finish trickle over the line to give the three-time African champions their first goal.
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Addressing the press after the game, a Cameroonian journalist asked Peseiro why Osimhen did not get the job done by getting on the scoresheet.
Replying, the Portuguese highlighted the role played by the highly sought-after striker, insisting he had a fantastic game despite not scoring a goal.
He added that the 25-year-old was everywhere, troubled Cameroon with his physicality and worked brilliantly for his teammates.
Peseiro said: “He didn’t score but had a fantastic game; it’s not easy to stop that guy. One lady asked me yesterday to put Osimhen on the bench if you want to score.
“Ask the opponents’ defenders what they suffered. He pressured, won the first ball, and created the goal. The opponent had the ball and, with pressure, took the ball and assisted.
“He’s fantastic for our team, which has very good players. We want a striker who can defend and attack, sometimes you need to give him the ball and he’ll win the ball against two or three.”
Super Eagles next game is on Friday, February 2, when they will come up against Angola in the quarter finals.