Napoli forward Victor Osimhen was expected to carry the burden of scoring goals for the senior national team of Nigeria at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast after his exploits with Napoli last season, which landed them the Serie A title.
That hasn’t been the case so far with the Super Eagles through to the semi final and Osimhen who has started in all of their games at the tournament has a goal and an assist to his name so far. Ademola Lookman is currently the team’s top scorer with three goals.
Osimhen is expected to once again lead the line for Nigeria against South Africa on Wednesday hoping to get his act today and kick start a possible run in front of goal with just two games left for them to be champions.
Many who have followed the team say he hasn’t been getting proper service from the players around him but AFCON 2013 winner Efe Ambrose says that isn’t the case from what he has seen so far and gave his opinion.
” Osimhen is not yet at that level to carry a team like the Super Eagles. People really don’t remember that this is his first real international tournament at senior level. It’s totally different from playing with your club, that is why we most times have players who are unplayable at their clubs but shadow of themselves in the national colours”, Ambrose told OwnGoalNigeria.com.
” I know he will come good and make a decisive point but for now it is not a problem of not giving him good balls. It is about the pressure on his lean shoulders at international level. He isn’t dealing with it properly but that comes with time. It is not too different from what Ahmed Musa experienced at the 2013 AFCON before exploding at the world cup”, he concluded.
Ade Emmanuel
