Former Super Eagles captain Austine Okocha says Moses Simon deserve to be handed the man of the match award and not Kelechi Iheanacho after Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Egypt.
Iheanacho scored the goal that decided the game but Simon ran the show and was simply unplayable from the start till when he was substituted late into the game for Alex Iwobi.
The Nantes winger was full of flair, pace and invention leaving his markers in their wake including a smart twist which injured his marker and led to his substitution very early into the game. The substitute couldn’t keep the 26 year old in check as well.
Speaking as a TV pundit during the game, Okocha picked Simon as the best player on the pitch but admitted that the official man of the match award given to Iheanacho isn’t a bad idea due to his goal which proved to be the decider.
” For me, Moses Simon is the man of the match. He tormented the defence line of the Pharaohs of Egypt”, Okocha said
”He was a menace. He brought out many crosses that would have led to goals. I think he caused a lot of havoc and he deserved the man of the match, anyway my opinion.
“I picked Simon as the man of the match but you have to understand with the decision to hand Iheanacho the award. His goal decided the game and when you score a goal of that quality. It’s hard not to get recognised for it*, he concluded.
