Tremendous Eagles coach, Eric Chelle has defined why Victor Osimhen didn’t participate within the penalty shootout throughout Nigeria’s semifinal loss to Morocco on the Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria misplaced 4–2 in a penalty shootout after additional time, and there have been questions on why Osimhen was taken off late within the sport.
Osimhen was taken off close to the top of additional time and substituted with Trabzonspor’s Paul Onuachu, which meant the Galatasaray striker wouldn’t be within the penalty shootout.
Onuachu then scored Nigeria’s first penalty kick, however missed possibilities from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyeamachi have been costly as Morocco moved on to the ultimate.
Chelle defined that Osimhen got here to him earlier than the shootout to say he was not match to play.
“We take penalty kicks throughout each coaching session. I’ve stats exhibiting who shoots finest and who shoots worst,” Eric Chelle mentioned on RMC Sport’s After Foot.
“Earlier than the penalty shootout, Victor got here to me and mentioned, ‘Coach, my ankle is admittedly unhealthy, it hurts, and I can’t take a penalty kick.’”
The Malian coach, nevertheless, didn’t clarify why Alex Iwobi didn’t take a penalty, although Alex is likely one of the important leaders within the Tremendous Eagles staff.
He added, “I’ve my very own statistics. Ademola Lookman was the fifth taker. Iwobi, it’s one thing that I shouldn’t speak about. No matter occurs within the group stays inside the group.”
The coach mentioned that penalty choices depend upon how nicely the staff is ready and the way prepared the gamers are.
He additionally defined that he selected the gamers who took the penalties through the shootout towards Egypt within the third-place playoff.
“In opposition to Egypt, I picked those who take the blame, in order that they need to be accountable,” he mentioned.
Though the Tremendous Eagles didn’t make it to the ultimate, they nonetheless received the bronze medal by beating Egypt in a penalty shootout through the third-place match.
