'Feels more pressure with Super Eagles than Napoli' - Peseiro defends Osimhen after poor display 

Victor Osimhen arrived at the Nigeria camp last Tuesday with a reputation as one of the hottest strikers in Europe but his displays in both Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea-Bissau irked the Super Eagles fans, media and even the neutral commentators. 

The Super Eagles number 9 was a shadow of himself in yesterday's clash against the African wild dogs and irritated the SuperSport commentators, so much so that he was labeled as arrogant.

Level with former Liverpool man Sadio Mane on five goals, no player has scored more goals than Osimhen in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, but the statistics don't tell the whole story as four of those goals came in one game, in Nigeria's record 10-0 hammering of minnows São Tomé and Príncipe.

Super Eagles manager Jose Peseiro has leapt to the defence of Osimhen, saying the striker is feeling more pressure with the national team than his club, Napoli. 

Asked to comment on Osimhen's recent struggles with the Super Eagles, Peseiro said at the post-match press conference : "Victor is among the top scorers in Europe but it happens.

"Sometimes the people complain about the players, it's not true they are not committed. The players come here and feel the pressure, they feel the stress. 

"Osimhen came here to fight for our shirt, for the Super Eagles. Osimhen now feels the pressure more with our national team than in Napoli, it's not good."

Peseiro continued : "I spoke with him, the first match, he started the match in Nigeria. He started feeling the pressure - I need to score, I need to do everything well.

"When a player puts it in his mind I need to do everything well, sometimes he doesn't do well, but he made a fantastic sacrifice.

"When our players put on the shirt to defend the Super Eagles, they are under more pressure. The fans, people need to understand that.

"They feel too much pressure because they want to do well for the country, family, flag and Super Eagles. That moment, they commit more mistakes, they don't do things well."
 

Nigeria returned to the top of Group A of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers thanks to Moses Simon's game-winning strike from the penalty spot in the 30th minute. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Copyright ANS

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from allnigeriasoccer.com