Napoli and Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen scored a hattrick on Sunday evening to help Nigeria end their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign on a winning note with a 6-0 thumping of Sao Tome and Principe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Nigeria.

The Super Eagles had already secured qualification for the tournament before the game, and the match was merely a dead rubber clash as the Sao Tome side stood no chance of qualifying for the AFCON.

However, it was a chance for Victor Osimhen to get closer to the goal-scoring record of Nigerian legend Rashidi Yekini, who is still the country’s record goal scorer with 37 goals.

Sunday’s hat trick puts him at 20 goals after just 26 games for the West African country, and at the age of 24, he still has a long time enough to break the record, needing 18 more.

Nigeria started the game strongly expectedly, on a rainy day and on a wet surface, opening the scoring in the 13th minute of the game through Napoli forward Victor Osimhen, who scored from an Ademola Lookman assist

In the 27th minute, the provider turned scorer as the Atalanta forward made it 2-0, but the score remained the same until halftime before the showers of goals followed in the second half, with Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi scoring in the 51st minute followed by a brace from Osimhen including one from the penalty spot in the 69th minute and another goal ten minutes later. 

The rout was completed by AC Milan forward Samuel Chukwueze in the 84th minute as Nigeria ended the qualifiers with 22 goals, 16 of them coming against the same Sao Tome side they pummeled 10-0 in the first leg earlier in the year.

Up next for Nigeria is the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in October before travelling for the Africa Cup of Nations in January/February 2024 in Ivory Coast.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu