AFCON 2023 QUALIFIERS: OSIMHEN, MOFFI LEAD RAMPANT SUPER EAGLES TO VICTORY OVER HAPLESS SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
David Oku
The Super Eagles destroyed São Tomé and Príncipe 10-0 in their second Group A match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Agadir, Morroco on Monday afternoon.
In what was total domination by the Nigerian side, Napoli forward Victor Osimhen scored four goals, Lorient striker Terem Moffi grabbed a brace while Leicester City’s Ademola Lookman, Stoke City midfielder Etebo Oghenekaro, Nantes winger Moses Simon and Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis scored a goal each to complete the decimation.
Nigeria now has six points from two matches following their 2-1 Matchday One win in Abuja against Sierra Leone.
The victory today is the senior national team’s biggest ever win in international football, surpassing their 10-1 rout of Benin in 1959.
The Eagles had an early chance to score from Osimhen but it produced only a corner kick.
He then produced a textbook header beyond the reach of an advancing goalkeeper Anastacio Braganca in the 10th minute for the opener.
Osimhen was flagged offside in the 20th minute when he stroked the ball home as he went for the same ball with Terem Moffi from an Alex Iwobi lofted pass.
Moses Simon made it 2-0 in the 28th minute as he swept the ball inside the Sao Tome and Principe goal from a Victor Osimhen assist.
There were a few chances that came the way of Terem Moffi which he scoffed but he eventually made the score look more irredeemable for Sao Tome and Principe two minutes before the break, hitting a low shot to the bottom left corner again Osimhen providing the assist.
Osimhen leapt high to nod into the gaping net three minutes into the second half with Ademola Lookman the assist provider on that occasion.
Oghenekaro Etebo produced a fantastic free-kick for Nigeria’s fifth goal in the 55th minute.
Osimhen thought he had grabbed his hat-trick moments after Etebo’s goal from a Zaidi Sanusi cross but he was flagged offside.
Peseiro brought on the duo of Shehu Abdullahi and Ahmed Musa for Ola Aina and Moses Simon and it soon became 6-0 when Moffi got his brace with an hour played thanks to a Zaidu Sanusi cross.
Lookman scored the seventh goal for the Eagles as he pounced on a loose ball after Moffi saw his shot parried onto the path of the RB Leipzig winger in the 63rd minute.
Osimhen soon made it three goals for himself and eight for the Super Eagles as he put the ball underneath the goalkeeper at minute 65.
Osimhen beat the offside trap after a through pass from substitute Ahmed Musa for the ninth goal of the one-sided game with six minutes left on the clock.
Emmanuel Dennis wrapped up the goals in the second minute of stoppage time from the penalty spot.
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