Paul Onuachu of NigeriaBackpagepix

Onuachu: I want to score regularly for Super Eagles

Genk forward Paul Onuachu has revealed his desire to score regularly for the Nigeria national team after firing the side past the Republic of Benin on Saturday.

The attacker scored the only goal for the Super Eagles in their 1-0 victory over the Squirrels in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game at Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto Novo.

The 26-year-old has been in terrific form for his Belgian club this season, scoring 27 goals across all competitions and providing two assists.

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Despite the striker’s impressive performances, he was surprisingly omitted from Gernot Rohr’s initial 24-man list before he was later invited as a replacement for Moses Simon who could not make the trip due to Covid-19 rules in France.

Onuachu had previously struggled to replicate his fine club form for the three-time African champions, having only scored one goal since his debut in 2019 before finding the net in Porto Novo.

The forward is delighted with his performances against Benin and hopes to get more opportunities to add to his tally.

“I’m happy to have scored the match-winner for the team in Cotonou,” Onuachu told the Punch

“I’ve worked very hard to get here. It’s like a long road but I’m very happy to be here and to get the opportunity and the goal.

“I want to do more like I have been doing with my club this season. It has always been my dream to score for Nigeria in games and I want to do that regularly when I get an invitation to represent my fatherland."

The Super Eagles will now take on Lesotho in their last Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Tuesday, having already secured their place at the biennial tournament.

Onuachu hopes to get a chance to again impress in the encounter and help the West African side increase their lead at the top of the Group L table.

“I hope to get another chance to prove my worth again,” the lanky forward added.

The Super Eagles finished third at the last edition of the continental tournament in Egypt, behind winners Algeria and Senegal.

Their best performances at the biennial competition were in 1980, 1994 and 2013, where they won the highly coveted trophy and will hope to clinch their fourth title at the 2022 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

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