Peterborough United goal hero talks about pre-match prep, video games, Erling Haaland and the club's physio department
Peterborough United goal hero Brad Ihionvien used his knowledge of the FIFA video game and Erling Haaland to help his side to a comeback win in a Vertu Trophy semi-final at Wrexham.
Ihionvien claimed his first goal for Posh since his September debut in the 91st minute to force a 2-2 draw from 2-0 down at the Racecourse Ground. The 21 year-old then stepped up to score the opening penalty of a shootout that Posh won 4-2.
A striker signed from Colchester United should now get the chance to make a first appearance at Wembley which would be most welcome after a stop-start personal season because of injury.
"It’s a great feeling,” Ihionvien told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. “I’ve only been to Wembley twice to watch games with my dad so I’m grateful to God to give me the opportunity to have my family watch me play there. Everyone who grows up in this country wants to play at Wembley at any level.
"I am so grateful to everyone who has worked so hard with me this season. The physio department and the staff helped my through my injury and I’m grateful to the players as well for doing so well while I wasn't playing. They got us this far and I'm delighted we can now play in the final.
“It wasn’t a lucky win either. We deserved it as we dominated the game against a team who looked they were playing for penalties. We expected them to press and to be aggressive, but they weren’t. They scored two lucky goals when we lost some focus which can happen, but I know 2-0 is not a safe lead. I even say that when I’m playing FIFA!
"If you can get one back, especially in a big game like a semi-final, you can always get another so when Mo Susoho played a great pass and Cian Hayes made a great run to win a penalty I felt we could go on and win after scoring it. For my goal the ball went over my head at first which was frustrating, but Hector Kyprianou knocked the ball down perfectly. I got a touch, tried to lift the ball to Malik Mothersille, but a defender headed it and it landed perfectly for me.
"That doesn’t happen very often for me. I often say to my dad that I never get the ball landing well for me like Haaland, but this one did and I scored. I spent a lot of the morning watching players like Haaland scoring from close range.
"The momentum is always with the team who comes back so I fancied us in the penalties. I was told by a coach to always try and take the first penalty as it might not get to the fifth one so I was happy to get us off to a good start. It was good at the end to see so many happy faces after a tough season. A win like this can only help us move forward.”