Simon dedicates award to Nigeria

Moses Simon of Nigeria awarded TOTAL Energies Player of the Match during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Afcon Finals match between Nigeria and Sudan at Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua, Cameroon, on 15 January 2022 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

by Staff Reporter

Sunday Jan 16, 2022. 15:00

Nigerian winger Moses Simon has dedicated his man of the match award from Saturday’s victory over Sudan to his team mates after another stellar individual display at AFCON 2021.

Simon created the first goal and scored the third in the Super Eagles 3-1 win over Sudan in their penultimate Group D match in Garoua.

It was a deserved accolade for the winger of French Ligue 1 club Nantes after seeing the first award on January 11 in the Super Eagles 1-0 win over Egypt go to the goal scorer Kelechi Iheanacho.

“We worked really hard for this and I believe man of the match award goes to the entire team,” Simon said in a post-match interview.

But Simon believes that despite the winning margin, Sudan were tougher than Egypt in a game his assist led to Iheanacho’s goal.

“Yes actually knew of course they would be more difficult for us because we expected this and we were ready for them,” Simon said.

Nigeria’s win has sent them through to the last 16 with a match to spare.

The Super Eagles now await their final top two classification in Group D on January 19 when they play Guinea Bissau who lost 1-0 to second placed Egypt on January 15.

Egypt have 3 points, Guinea Bissau and Sudan have a point each after two rounds of matches played.