'He kept us in the game' - Osimhen hails Adeleye for key role he played in Super Eagles AFCON qualification 

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has singled out the duo of captain Ahmed Musa and goalkeeper Adebayo Adeleye for being key to Nigeria's qualification to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations which will take place in Ivory Coast.

Osimhen scored two goals in the narrow 3-2 win over the Leone Star of Sierra Leone with Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho scoring the stoppage time winner to confirm Nigeria's place at the tournament.

Osimhen was guest of Wazobia FM Lagos as he continues his holidays in Lagos ahead of Napoli's preseason preparations.

"It was obvious during our trainings before traveling to Monrovia for the game against that Adeleye would be the goalkeeper for the game," he told the dominant Pidgin English radio station on the programme 'Football Republic'. 

"Ahmed Musa spoke with him a couple of times to give him confidence. What people don't realize is that Musa gives so much more than being a player of the team. 

"After the game against Sierra Leone, I had to go meet him and thanked him because he kept us in the game. 

"He was confident on the ball, and made some great saves towards the end of the game. All of us had stood up on the bench. I had been substituted for Awoniyi. 

"The tension was there because Sierra Leone also had a good team. They held us to a 4-4 draw in the first leg," Osimhen recalled. 

Osimhen however added that he is not promising anything at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations but feels privileged to be donning the green and white jerseys of the Super Eagles. 

Izuchukwu Michael

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