Chisom Chikatara: I Was Given The Match Ball In The Dressing Room

Chisom Chikatara has dismissed suggestions that he wasn’t given the match ball by referee Ibrahim Nour El Din after notching a hat - trick for the Super Eagles in their 4 - 1 annihilation of Niger Republic at the African Nations Championship.

Soon after the final whistle, the Abia Warriors sensation was seen asking the Egyptian official for the match ball but television images showed that the striker was snubbed.

“Yes, I was given the match ball in the dressing room as the referee earlier said. Before I entered, the coach told me to go in and do what you know how to do best, ” said Chisom Chikatara to allnigeriasoccer.com.

“I am dedicating the goals to so many people that have given me courage: my late mum, my daddy, family and wife to be, then the coaches and my teammates here.

“I wasn’t really desperate to score a hat - trick. What the team needs from strikers is goals just as the church needs songs from the choir.”

It is still early days in Rwanda but Chisom Chikatara leads the scorers chart ahead of Alseny Camara (Guinea) and Ahmed Akaïchi (Tunisia), who have two goals each.