Izuchukwu OkosiSpain booked their place in the final of the 2023 UEFA Nations League with a 2-1 win over Italy on Thursday to set up a clash against Croatia.
Joselu scored a late winner as the 2010 FIFA World winners made their dominance count especially in an impressive second half.
Yeremy Pino won the ball off Italy legend Leonardo Bonucci outside his own box before firing in Spain’s opener in Enschede, Netherlands.
Ciro Immobile equalised for Italy with a penalty after Spain debutant Robin le Normand handled in the box.
Substitute Joselu pounced from close range after Rodri’s deflected shot to send Spain to the Rotterdam final.
It continues the remarkable late-career rise of Espanyol striker Joselu.
The 33-year-old only made his international debut in March and has now scored three goals in three appearances.
He was the third top scorer in La Liga this season with 16 goals, only behind Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, despite his team being relegated.
Joselu has come a long way since netting four goals in 22 Premier League games for Stoke and then six in 46 league games for Newcastle before returning home in 2019.
He now has a chance to claim his first winner’s medal on Sunday.
Spain, who lost the 2021 Nations League final to France, face a Croatia side bidding to win their country’s first international trophy.
Italy must face the Netherlands, who lost to Croatia in the other semi-final, in a third-placed play-off earlier that day.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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