Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro made a bold move by introducing Paul Onuachu late in Sunday’s game against Equatorial Guinea, replacing Alex Iwobi in the 90th minute as the Eagles struggled to a 1-1 draw against the Nzalang Nacional.
Addressing the media in Abidjan after the disappointing draw, Peseiro admitted to taking a risk by bringing in Onuachu, who had arrived on matchday without any prior training with the team. Peseiro explained, “Onuachu arrived at 4.30 a.m. and went straight to the hotel at 6.30 a.m. He didn’t have any training with us. We didn’t prepare him well for the match.”
Peseiro further justified his decision, stating, “I put Onuachu because I was hoping for luck, so I put a strong guy in the air. I don’t know if I had put him in earlier if he would have played better, but it is not easy.” Despite the circumstances, Onuachu impressed during his brief appearance, leading to expectations of more playing time in upcoming matches, albeit not guaranteed a starting role.
Onuachu had been called up as a late replacement for the injured Sadiq Umar, and his noteworthy performance indicates he may play a significant role in the team’s future fixtures. As the AFCON 2023 unfolds, all eyes will be on Onuachu to see if he can capitalize on the trust placed in him by Coach Peseiro.
Posted in Metro News Africa
