Osimhen has now netted 15 international goals for Nigeria, making him the eighth highest-scoring Super Eagle
By Kehinde Okeowo
Napoli striker, Osimhen, scored 4 times against Sao Tome and Principe in Monday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Morocco to equal a record set in 1959.
Elkanah Onyeali became the first man to achieve such a feat when he found the back of the net 4 times as Nigeria walloped Benin Republic (then Dahomey) 10-1 in a Nkrumah Cup fixture played at the National Stadium, Lagos on November 29, that year.
However, the record stood for 32 years before the late Rashidi Yekini equalled it on July 21, 1991, when the then Green Eagles (now Super Eagles) put 7 goals past the Stallions of Burkina Faso in an African Cup of Nations qualifier in Lagos, which ended 7-1.
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Osimhen joined the prolific strikers as the third Nigeria player to score at least four goals in an international fixture after the Super Eagles’ 10-0 demolition of Sao Tome and Principe yesterday.
The Napoli striker beat goalkeeper Anastacio Braganca in the 9th, 48th, 65th, and 84th minutes to join the elite league, but remained the only Nigerian player to have done so outside the shores of the country.
In the fixture, a brace from Terem Moffis and a goal each from Moses Simon, Oghenekaro Etebo, Ademola Lookman, and Emmanuel Dennis completed the rout
Osimhen has now netted 15 international goals to overtake Austin Okocha, Asuquo Ekpe, and Julius Aghaowa to become the eighth highest-scoring Super Eagle ever.
The 23-year-old made his debut in a 3-0 friendly win over Togo on June 1, 2017, with his first international goal coming against Lesotho on March 3, 2021.
