Oliseh hails Super Eagles defender for pocketing AFCON top scorer Diaz
Former Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has praised Super Eagles left-back Bruno Onyeamachi for his excellent defensive performance in the AFCON semifinal against Morocco. Onyeamachi kept Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz—the tournament's leading scorer with five goals—scoreless. Diaz was poised to become the first player to score in six consecutive AFCON matches, but Onyeamachi's marking neutralized him. The Olympiacos defender was substituted in extra time, with Ilias Akhomach coming on for Morocco.
Despite the strong individual performance, the match ended goalless after extra time. Nigeria lost the penalty shootout 4-2, with the 26-year-old Onyeamachi missing his kick, giving Morocco the decisive edge. The loss ended Nigeria's campaign in the semifinals.
Oliseh, speaking on SuperSport, said: "Bruno is putting in a lot of effort to keep Brahim Diaz quiet. Looks like this is the first time someone has beaten Diaz." The praise highlighted a bright spot in a disappointing team result, where individual defensive excellence wasn't enough to overcome the shootout.