By Daily Sports on September 18, 2021

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has lauded Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen who scored a brace in Napoli’s 2-2 draw in their Europa League assignment on Thursday. 

Harvey Barness assisted Perez Ayoze in the ninth minute to send the home fans at Liberty Stadium to a frenzy.

Patson Daka was denied by VAR in the 59th minute, but five minutes later, Harvey Barnes scored after Nigeria striker Kelechi Iheanacho found him in the danger zone following a swift counter-attack.

Fellow Nigeria forward Osimhen pulled one back in the 69th minute for the Serie A heavyweights after converting a Fabian Ruiz pass, before completing his brace with three minutes to go. Matteo Politano was the provider. 

Speaking after the match, the Foxes trainer spoke highly of the former Lille and Wolfsburg forward.

“We had some [Leicester] players getting their first 90 minutes of the season as well, and then obviously, their big striker [Osimhen], who is £70-odd-million, so you can see his quality, and he gets his two goals,” Rodgers told the club’s official portal.

The tactician was also impressed by Zambia international, Daka who was impressive as well as Boubakary Soumare.

“I thought [Soumare] was excellent in the game. He had a little spell at the beginning of the second half,” Rodgers continued.

“He looked a little leggy, but then he’d done one or two pieces of skill and came back into the game. He was good. That was his first 70 minutes, so I am delighted with that.  

“[Daka] is always a goal threat. [I am] disappointed that he could not get the goal, because it was a great finish, but players are young [and still] learning at their level, and how we work, and I am sure they will prove to be very, very good players this season.”

The manager went on to reveal what he told the players after the match.

“I said to the players afterwards, there were so many good things in the game, but we’ve got to keep the ball better because by the end when you don’t have the ball so much and you’re chasing the game, you can tire that little bit,” Rodgers continued.

“Overall, if you can’t win it, even though we were in a good position, you make sure you don’t lose it and the point is a start for us. Now, we have got another nine [points] or 10 to go.”

Napoli and Leicester are now joint second with one point each in Group B. Legia Warsaw, who defeated Spartak Moscow by a solitary goal, are at the summit. (Goal)

•PHOTO: Victor Osimhen 

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 18, 2021

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