Is Onuachu happy to get limited playing time with Osimhen leading the Super Eagles? Trabzonspor star has his say

The former KRC Genk forward has played second fiddle to the Napoli striker at the 34th edition of the AFCON

Trabzonspor ace Paul Onuachu has confessed he would have loved to get more playing time for the Super Eagles as Nigeria hunt for a fourth continental trophy in Cote d’Ivoire, Soccernet.ng reports. 

Nigeria have gone from the disjointed side that wobbled to a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea on matchday one of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to the tournament’s number-one contenders.

Jose Peseiro’s men have secured four consecutive victories over hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon, and Angola to reach the semifinals of the AFCON, where they will meet South Africa.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has been the Super Eagles’ first-choice centre-forward in all these games, with Onuachu making four appearances from the bench which clocked all of five minutes on the pitch.

Onuachu, who was called up late to the Super Eagles AFCON squad after injury ruled out Taiwo Awoniyi, Victor Boniface, and Umar Sadiq, is aware that competition for spots in the national team is at its stiffest.

While he desires to feature more in the Super Eagles’ plan, Onuachu is glad to be playing at his second AFCON championship and has vowed to fulfill the demands of the coaching crew.

“I think it is really competitive in the national team now with my position,” Onuachu told the Nation.

“Maybe about two years ago or so, I thought maybe I should have gotten more time. For me, I thought I came in at a struggling time, at a time when people don’t really get to see the best of you.

“When you come in in the second half, the struggle and the pressure, that is there. But right now, I think we have lots of strikers. I’m not being judgmental here; Victor Osimhen is Africa’s best, and Victor Boniface and Taiwo Awoniyi are doing good.

“Of course, I am part of it. I have been doing well at my club, Trabzonspor, at the end of the day, and it still comes to the coach to decide. All respect to the strikers. They are doing well, but at the end of the day, it comes to the coach to pick.

“For me, I am very happy and it is an honour to be on the 40-man list. At the end of the day, he chose the 25-man list, and he chose the best.”

Nigeria will play against South Africa in the semifinals of the AFCON on Wednesday, February 7.