Nigeria, Aug. 21 -- When the Super Eagles B lined up against Congo in their final CHAN 2024 Group D match in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, the narrative was already written. Nigeria were out. Pride was all that was left to play for.

But sometimes, football doesn't follow the script. For 20-year-old Alex Young Oyowah, what looked like a dead rubber became the stage for his debut and his arrival.

On his very first start for Nigeria, the midfielder delivered a performance so mature and impactful that he walked away with the Man of the Match award in the 2-0 victory. In a campaign defined by frustration, Oyowah turned Nigeria's farewell into his personal introduction.

The midfielder's story is rare but not unfamiliar in Nigerian football. From...