Noah Okafor has not had an enjoyable start to the 2024 European Championship, but fate might just have changed the cards on the table for him.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport recalls, Okafor has not played a single minute at the tournament so far, remaining an unused substitute in all three group games as Switzerland finished above Hungary and Scotland to qualify in second behind Germany.
The rigid 3-4-2-1 that the Swiss coach uses does not provide any room for the unpredictability, dribbling and surging runs of Okafor, or at least so far it hasn’t. In the knockout phase when extra time and penalties become a possibility, his chance could come.
After a season with 36 appearances, six goals (all in Serie A) and three assists, Okafor might have reasonably expected to at least get a couple of appearances, yet Murat Yakin chose to aim a dig at the Rossoneri over their use of him (or lack of).
The round of 16 will see Switzerland phase Italy in Berlin and he has fond memories agains the Azzurri. Almost three years ago in Rome in the World Cup qualifiers for the tournament in Qatar he provided the assist for Widmer, and he would love to do damage again before coming back.
Not really his fault he’s not getting minutes. For some reason, even if the rest of the team is doing well, he keeps getting left behind Embolo who is about as useful in front of goal as a traffic cone