Okwonkwo relishes Nigeria’s first goal after 1,207 days’ drought

 Olympic Eagles striker Orji Okwonkwo is very much in Cloud Nine after he struck his side’s opener in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Zambia at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo at the on-going Total U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.

 Victory  against Zambia not only rekindled Nigeria’s hope of a semi-final spot from their  tough Group B section that also housed Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa, but it was a double celebration for the 20-year-old Okwonkwo after scoring his first goal  in the green-and-white colours since his last goal  for the Flying Eagles against Sudan .

 It was three years, three months  and 20 days  and   precisely 1, 2007 days  to the  day  Okwonkwo  scored  one of the goals for the coach Emmanuel Amuneke-led  Flying Eagles against Sudan  in that   shock home  4-3  home defeat  at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos to Sudan in the decisive qualifier

 “I am very happy to score my first goal for the Nigeria Under-23 team,” the FC Bologna striker current on loan to Canadian outfit, Montreal Impact, said in an exclusive interview with Sportinglife.ng. “The game against Zambia was actually my third game for the under-23 national team after the game against Libya and Sudan in Asaba during the qualifiers for the AFCON, so I’m so happy that I have finally scored my first goal for the team.”

 Noted for scoring great goals for both club and country, it took Okwonkwo some 261 days in between his first and second goal for Nigeria in an official match following that his famous volley against  Mexico on 5th November  2015 at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile and that goal against Sudan in Lagos on 23rd July 2016.

 Though Tuesday’s goal against Zambia can’t be compared  to that ‘inter-ballistic missile ‘that Okwonkwo  struck against  Mexico in Nigeria’s 4-2 win in that U-17 semi-final match at the Estadio Municipal de Concepción, it revived  hope of the Olympic Eagles after they stumbled to a 1-0 defeat  to Cote d’Ivoire in their opening match at the U-23 AFCON last Friday.

 Now perched in second position with three points in Group B, the Olympic Eagles will face four-point leaders Amaglug-glug of South Africa tomorrow.

  “On Friday, we shall try our best against South Africa and ensure we do the right things on the pitch of play,” noted Okwonkwo who was recently bestowed with the Outstanding player of the Year award at Montreal Impact.

 Meanwhile, 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning coach Emmanuel Amuneke has  challenged Okwonkwo to turn  up the style  against  in Friday’s decisive match  against South Africa  at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo.

Read Also: South Africa throws lifeline to Olympic Eagles after Zambia victory

 “ As we know, Okwonkwo  is very quick and technical player and I’m happy that he has progressed well since he featured at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2015,” Amuneke, the former FC Barcelona winger told  Nation  Sport from his home in Santander yesterday.“ I was happy  that he scored for the Olympic Eagles against Zambia on Tuesday; he has  to continue working hard because there is no doubt about his quality and capacity and I want to wish him all the best.”