Nigeria have four points from their first two games at the AFCON tournament and have scored two goals, defeating Ivory Coast and drawing against Equatorial Guinea.
Super Eagles and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, has revealed the key reason why he allowed William Troost-Ekong to take the penalty kick against Ivory Coast rather than take it himself, Soccernet.ng reports.
Osimhen, 25, scored the equalizer for Jose Peseiro’s men against Equatorial Guinea in their opening AFCON game, before winning the penalty against Ivory Coast after he was fouled by Ousmane Diomande.
The CAF Player of the Year award recipient was expected to step up to take the resulting spot kick, but rather, captain on the day, William Troost-Ekong stepped up to give Nigeria the lead from the spot.
Osimhen, speaking in the post-match conference, reiterated that it was the coach’s decision to allow Ekong to take the spot kick, and he has no problem with it.
“It was the coach. He wanted me to take it but I have to respect it, he’s the captain. For me, I really don’t mind who takes the penalty or who scores for the team. I want the team to win. I want the team to progress so this is the most important thing for me,” the Serie A golden boot winner said.
Osimhen has scored 20 goals in 27 games for the Super Eagles since making his debut in 2017, and has set his sights on helping the Nigerian team to reach the apex of the AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast.