EPL: Paul Onuachu hails teammates despite Southampton loss to Nottingham Forest

By Saheed Afolabi

Southampton striker Paul Onuachu has praised his teammates for their fighting spirit despite the club’s 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League.

Onuachu, who scored in the 90th minute, was unable to prevent the loss, but he expressed satisfaction with his personal contribution to the match. The goal, which came too late to salvage a point, marked Onuachu’s first for the club.

Reflecting on his introduction to the game, the Nigerian forward shared the tactical advice given by the manager, which helped him make an impact.

“When I came on, he (the manager) just said ‘Paul, go fight, try to keep the ball’ and I just did what he asked me,” Onuachu said in an interview with Southampton FC.

“Of course, the whole team in the second half, they were full of energy. Lesley was brilliant again, an amazing player to watch.”

Onuachu also highlighted the team’s improved performance in the second half, despite the disappointment of the result.

“The whole team was full of energy,” he continued. “Lesley was brilliant again, an amazing player to watch.”

While the defeat leaves Southampton still struggling at the bottom of the table, Onuachu remains hopeful that breaking his goal drought will serve as a boost for the club moving forward.

“It was disappointing that we lost, but of course, as a striker, you have confidence when you get the first goal for Saints,” Onuachu added. “I think the fans will be happy for me, and I hope it leads to more goals for the team this season.”

Despite the tough loss, Onuachu’s positive outlook and his hope for continued improvement offer a glimmer of hope for Southampton in what has been a challenging season.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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