Racing Genk striker Paul Onuachu was delighted to get on the scoresheet as the Super Eagles ended the Republic of Benin's eight-year unbeaten run at home with a 1-0 victory at the Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto-Novo on Saturday evening.
In the third minute of stoppage time, Onuachu on as a substitute in the 69th minute as a replacement for Kelechi Iheanacho, powered home a header to seal all three points for the visitors.
Nigeria's leading scorer in Europe this season with 27 goals was initially left out of the original 24-man roster announced by manager Gernot Rohr but was handed a late invitation after Moses Simon was blocked from traveling to Africa due to COVID-19 concerns.
Onuachu has thanked the Super Eagles for pushing him to work harder in national team colours.
"I'm just going to say thanks to the nation for the push, they really pushed me to show what I have to show. National team, I did it, I am so happy for the team and for the country," Onuachu said in a brief interview with the Super Eagles media team post-match.
"It's a lot of confidence for a striker to score and I'm very happy.
"We just have to go there (to the AFCON) and take the gold".
"It's a lot of confidence for a striker to score and I'm very happy.
"We just have to go there (to the AFCON) and take the gold".
Today's strike vs Benin was Onuachu's second goal for the national team, with his first coming in a friendly against Egypt two years ago.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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