Moses Usor has revealed how advice from Super Eagles centurion Moses Simon gave him the confidence to make an immediate impact before scoring Nigeria’s winning goal against Madagascar, Footynaija.com reports.
Usor enjoyed a dream debut for the Super Eagles after coming off the bench to score the decisive goal in Nigeria’s 2-1 victory over Madagascar in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
However, the LASK forward has now revealed that Simon played a key role in helping him settle his nerves before his introduction by head coach Eric Chelle.
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The two wingers were warming up together when they got the signal that it was time to enter the game, with Simon using the moment to encourage the 24-year-old to trust his ability and play with freedom.
“I was warming up with Moses Simon when they called me, and we went in together. He advised me to just play my game and be myself,” Usor told the Super Eagles media.
“He said if you have the ball and you want to go one-on-one, you can take the risk. This gave me the confidence to play the game.”
Usor entered the fray in the second half with Nigeria needing a goal to complete their comeback after Madagascar had taken the lead earlier in the encounter. The LASK forward needed just 4 minutes to repay Chelle’s faith.
Despite his immediate impact, Usor admitted that the moment still feels surreal and insists he is determined to continue giving his best whenever he gets the opportunity to represent Nigeria.
“I went in with the mentality of taking risks and showing what I can do. It’s still a surprise to me. I still feel it is a dream, playing at this level.
“I’ll always give my best whenever I’m on the pitch and contribute to the attack. I will do my best whenever I’m on the pitch and defend the badge.
“That is very important because I know Nigerians will be expecting more from me, and I will continue to give my best for the team.”
Usor will be in contention to feature once again when the Super Eagles rock up to the Estadio Nacional 24 de Setembro to take on Guinea-Bissau in their second match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign.
