By Monsurah Olatunji
Nigeria international Bruno Onyemaechi has credited his teammate, Francisco Ortega, for offering crucial advice that helped him keep AEK Athens winger Niclas Eliasson at bay during Olympiakos’ dominant 6-0 win in the Greek Cup semifinal.
Onyemaechi, who was in action for Olympiakos, delivered a solid performance on the night, contributing to his team’s emphatic victory.
The 25-year-old defender, who joined Olympiakos from Portuguese side Boavista in the January transfer window, revealed that Ortega’s guidance played a vital role in his approach to marking the Swedish winger.
“We had spoken with Ortega, and he gave me advice,” Onyemaechi said to Cosmote TV via Gazzetta Greece.
“We know Eliasson is a strong player, and I followed Ortega’s advice, which helped me a lot.”
Onyemaechi also praised Olympiakos head coach José Luis Mendilibar for his motivational influence, adding that the coach’s instructions were pivotal in helping the team maintain focus and secure an unassailable lead in the first leg of the semifinal.
“Our coach told us to stay focused, forget about the next match, and finish the qualification today. That was the motivation,” Onyemaechi said.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
