21-year-old Nigerian attacking midfielder Christantus Uche delivered a stunning performance against Valladolid.
Considered one of the stars of the future, the player made his mark in the match with two assists. Thanks to his contribution, Getafe played an effective game and nearly secured the win in the first half.
The young player, who has already scored 3 goals and provided 5 assists in one of the world’s biggest leagues, La Liga, is showing immense potential.
In the opening minute of the match, Uche made a beautiful assist with a header to Mauro Arambarri. In the 19th minute, Uche, trapped between two opponents, spotted his teammate Ramon Terrats making a forward run and provided a perfect pass for him to score.
Before the first half ended, the Nigerian star was back on the pitch, delivering the pass before Bernat’s assist. Getafe had gone 3-0 up, and Valladolid’s Mario Martín was sent off with a red card, which further solidified Getafe’s dominance.
With the match all but decided, Uche was substituted in the 62nd minute to rest.
Beyond his assists, Uche created two big chances, delivered two key passes, made three tackles, won six duels, and saw one shot blocked while another went wide.
Although Uche had been included in Nigeria’s provisional squad, he narrowly missed out on the final roster. However, if his performances continue like this, the Super Eagles will undoubtedly call him up to the main squad again.
If Uche continues to show high-level performances in a few more consecutive matches, he could be called up earlier than expected to wear the national team shirt, especially at a time when Nigeria is in need of hope for the World Cup.