AFCON 2023: Why Jose Peseiro cannot bench Osimhen for Onuachu or Moffi despite goals drought

The Napoli forward was one of the outstanding players as Nigeria sent Cameroon packing from the continental championships

Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro has thrown his support behind Victor Osimhen even as the Napoli striker failed to score against Cameroon on Saturday, Soccernet.ng reports.

Ademola Lookman scored both goals – one in either half – as the Super Eagles forced a 2-0 defeat down the throat of four-time AFCON champions Cameroon in their Round-of-16 clash at the ongoing African Cup of Nations.

Osimhen created Nigeria’s first goal after robbing Cameroon’s Oumar Gonzalez before slicing the pass for Lookman to stab home the opener.

From there, Nigeria had something to hold on to until Lookman combined with Calvin Bassey late in the game to make sure of the victory.

Osimhen, though, remains with one AFCON goal to his name, and the reigning African Footballer of the Year has not found the net since his header against Equatorial Guinea on matchday one.

The situation, however, does not worry Peseiro, who has watched Osimhen cause more damage that led to other Super Eagles goals.

While there is pressure on the Portuguese tactician to bench Osimhen and play other strikers like Paul Onuachu and Terem Moffi, who can get the goals, Peseiro is sticking with the Napoli striker.

During the post-match press conference monitored by Soccernet.ng, Peseiro said:

“Osimhen did not score, but his effort in the game… It’s not easy to stop that guy. I think one lady asked me yesterday, ‘You need to score. Why don’t you put Osimhen on the bench?’

“(chuckles) Ask them, Nigeria’s opponents, ask them what they suffer. They suffer. He pressures, he wins the ball. The first ball, he created the goal. The opponent has the ball and then the pressure. He takes the ball and assists.

“He is fantastic for our team with very good players. He wins the ball against two or three (defenders) and waits for our team to arrive.

“Okay, no one can win a match alone. Everybody must play, but he’s a good example. Not only him, of course, my team did a fantastic job, even the guys who did not play.”

Nigeria will play against Angola’s Palancras Negras in the quarterfinals of the AFCON on Friday.