By Muhammadu Sabiu
Victor Osimhen led Nigeria to a spectacular 6-0 victory over Sao Tome, marking the end of their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.
Osimhen’s remarkable hat-trick sealed Nigeria’s position as group winners, securing their ticket to the forthcoming AFCON tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.
Osimhen, a nominee for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, showcased his exceptional skills, taking his goal tally to an impressive 10 in the 2023 AFCON qualifying campaign.
The Super Eagles had previously dominated Sao Tome with a 10-0 victory in their initial encounter in June 2022 in Agadir, Morocco.
The Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo bore witness to the Super Eagles’ dominance as they started aggressively in front of a capacity crowd of 30,000 fans. Semi Ajayi’s early header, originating from a corner by Kelechi Iheanacho, was skillfully saved by Sao Tome’s goalkeeper, Ronaldo Silva.
Silva was the busier of the two goalkeepers throughout the match, facing a relentless Nigerian attack. Nigeria’s Taiwo Awoniyi, playing in England, unleashed a powerful shot inside the box, challenging Silva’s reflexes.
However, Silva was powerless to stop Osimhen’s precise header from close range off a corner kick by Ademola Lookman in the 13th minute, granting Nigeria an early lead.
Despite Awoniyi’s narrowly missed header moments later, Nigeria continued to press. Lookman extended the lead in the 27th minute, confidently manoeuvring past two defenders before sending the ball into the net following a pass from captain Wilfred Ndidi.
The second half commenced with a surge of energy from Awoniyi, who chested a flick by Iheanacho and netted another goal past Silva in the 52nd minute. Osimhen struck again in the 70th minute, securing his ninth goal of the qualifying campaign by converting a penalty kick.
As the match neared its end, Osimhen completed his hat-trick with a well-executed goal in the 80th minute, capping off a fluid sequence involving Samuel Chukwueze and Awoniyi. Chukwueze added to the spectacle with a sixth goal in the 85th minute after an assist from Victor Boniface.
Osimhen’s outstanding performance earned him the MTN Most Valuable Player of the Match award, along with a prize of one million naira. Ademola Lookman was named Man-of-the-Match and received a one-million-naira prize from Nigerian Breweries PLC.
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