Noni Madueke Faces Backlash After Miss in Win

Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins may have wrapped up a routine win, but the post-match noise belonged to Noni Madueke – and not for the reasons any winger wants.

A glaring first-half miss, followed by a few smiles at full-time, lit up social media with the kind of fury that gathers pace quickly in a tournament year. The result was safe, the scoreline comfortable, yet the reaction was anything but.

On X, @cooksbits didn’t hold back: “Hopefully that’s the last we see of him this World Cup. Does ANYONE think he should be there?”

The tone only hardened from there.

“Laughing and smiling about it send him back and get foden here such a washed player,” wrote @marklamb2002, zeroing in on Madueke’s relaxed demeanour after the miss rather than the overall performance.

Another fan, @click00001, questioned his very presence in the squad: “The only reason why he’s in that squad is because he’s part of a premier league winning team. He contributed about 1 goal and 2 assists btw. I’d take out of form Palmer or Bowen over him without thinking twice.”

The judgment was swift. Ruthless, even. One chance squandered, and suddenly every selection decision is back on trial.

Madueke, to his credit, faced it head-on once the final whistle had gone. No excuses, no attempt to dress it up.

“I should have scored one,” he admitted. “We definitely had a few chances, Morgz [Morgan Rogers] I think. But it will come. Better to miss them now than when the tournament starts."

He went further when pressed on the specifics of the miss. “I should’ve probably gone with my right foot. Obviously, it was happening quick. I should’ve scored it, but when the tournament comes, I will score them.”

There it was: accountability mixed with a promise. In a single moment he acknowledged the error and set his own bar for the weeks ahead.

For now, the goals belong to Gordon and Watkins, the points are in the bag, and the friendly goes down as a comfortable win. The real question is whether Madueke’s next big chance, when the tournament actually begins, rewrites this narrative or cements it.