Raphael Onyedika says years of patience, hard work and preparation finally came together after he scored twice in Nigeria’s 3–1 Africa Cup of Nations victory over Uganda.
The 24-year-old midfielder was named man of the match after striking twice in the second half, both goals arriving from assists by Samuel Chukwueze. It took his tally for Nigeria to three goals, all of them set up by the Fulham winger.
“I feel happy and I cannot explain how I feel,” Onyedika told reporters.
“It’s a moment I have been working for all my life and I am happy it finally came true.”
The Club Brugge player explained that his goals were no accident, but the result of detailed training-ground routines and an understanding built over time with Chukwueze.
“This is what we work out during training,” he said.
“It is a matter of seconds when you decide. Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you want, but you just have to be ready.”
Onyedika added that reading Chukwueze’s movement had become second nature.
“I know Samuel very well. When he dribbles, he always looks to cut back, so I try to make sure I’m always in that position,” he said, joking that he now owes his teammate a gift for supplying all three of his international goals.
Reflecting on life under head coach Eric Chelle, Onyedika described a demanding but rewarding environment.
“He has a standard and demands a lot from the players during training and in the game,” he said. “He pushes everyone to their potential.”
With Nigeria now through to the knockout stage, Onyedika remains grounded, insisting his focus is simply to keep working and wait for further opportunities.
“When you are not playing, you just have to keep the focus and keep working,” he said. “The rest is up to the coach.”
