I'm human — Osimhen reacts to terrible miss against Gabon

The Super Eagles beat Gabon 4-1 after extra time in the semi-final of the CAF World Cup qualifying playoffs to set up a final against DR Congo. 

However, the game could have been settled in regular time, as Victor Osimhen fluffed a gilt-edged chance late in the game, after he was isolated with the goalkeeper thanks to a telegraphed pass from Wilfred Ndidi.

He made up for the miss in extra time, however, grabbing a brace after Chidera Ejuke restored the lead, which moved him within six goals of Rashidi Yekini’s Super Eagles record. 

After the match, ESPN asked Osimhen and some Super Eagles players it about their initial reaction to the miss. 

“I was gutted,” Osimhen admitted. But as a person and as a striker, I had to keep it moving. It was bad. Immediately, I missed the opportunity; I saw that the referee said we were going into extra time. I told my teammate, ‘I’m sorry, I will correct it in extra time.’”

“If I let it get into my head, I don't think I'll be able to grab those two goals. It's important. As a striker, sometimes, you score the one they say you cannot score and miss the one they believe you can score; it's normal. I'm human; I make mistakes. I have to keep it moving, and also, congratulations to the team.”

The team's captain, Williams Troost-Ekong, said that after the miss, he tried to encourage Osimhen and ensure it didn't weigh him down. “When I saw him running at the goalkeeper, I was sure he was going to score, but yh, after that, we tried to encourage him and make sure he wasn't disheartened,” Ekong said. 

Samuel Chukwueze, who had been subbed out before Osimhen's miss, said he was following the action mentally, admitting shock at the miss. However, he explained that it was normal. 

“I was running with him when he was with the ball; I even ran past the pitch,” Chukwueze said. “It's football. Everyone knows he can score that type of goal, but it happens. Now he gave us two, so everything is fine.”

The Super Eagles will face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, and Nigerian fans will hope the Osimhen from the extra time against Gabon is the one who turns up.