Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has scored his 17th goal for the Super Eagles of Nigeria as the team sealed qualification for Afcon 2023 with a win over Sierra Leone.
The Nigerian team defeated Sierra Leone 3-2 in a hard fought win on Sunday, June 18 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex.
Osimhen scored the first goal of the match for Nigeria in the 19th minute from a Kenneth Omeruo assist. The Nigerian striker completed his brace in the 32nd minute this time after receiving a pass from Joe Aribo. Sierra Leone’s Mohammed Bundu halved the deficit for his team nine minutes later.
Kelechi Iheanacho was brought in for Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze and German-Nigerian defender Kevin Akpoguma was subbed in for Bright-Osayi Samuel in the second half.
Augustus Kargbo equalised for the Leone Stars in the 84th minute as the Leone stars got back into the game. However Iheanacho scored a dramatic winning goal in the 95th minute after being teed up by Zaidu Sanusi.
The brace took Osimhen’s tally for Nigeria to 17 goals in 26 games surpassing Ahmed Musa and Odion Ighalo’s total number of goals for the Super Eagles.
Rashidi Yekini is Nigeria’s all time top scorer with 37 goals in 58 games. Segun Odegbami has 23 goals for Nigeria, Yakubu Aiyegbeni found the net 21 times for the Super Eagles while Ikechukwu Uche has a total of 19 goals and Obafemi Martins scored 18 times.
The Super Eagles are first position in Group A with 12 points from five matches while Sierra Leone are third with five points after five games also.
Guinea-Bissau are second with 10 points from five games and Sao Tome and Principe are in last position place with a point from five matches.
Nigeria will face Sao Tome and Principe in their next match on September 4, 2023.
