AFCON Qualifier: President Weah hails Osimhen’s marksmanship

Seated in the presidential box as Nigeria beat Sierra Leone 3-2 in the Day 5 game of their group for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, President George Oppong Weah of Liberia could not stop singing the praises of Super Eagles’ forward Victor Osimhen who scored a brace. Following his excellent season in which he scored 25 league goals to steer SC Napoli to their first Italian Serie A title in 33 years, President Weah, the 1995 World, European and African Footballer of the Year had penned a personal letter to Osimhen asking him to keep working hard and breaking new grounds. On Sunday, as he sat in the presidential box of the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Paynesville with Nigeria’s Ambassadors to Liberia and Sierra Leone (Excellencies Godfrey Odudigbo and Henry Omakwu respectively), President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, NFF Board Members Rt. Hon. Nse Essien and Sunday Dele-Ajayi, among others, Weah could not stop singing Osimhen’s praises. The Napoli forward did not disappoint, with an outstanding performance, scoring in the 20th and 33rd minutes to steer Nigeria into a 2-0 lead. “That is what I call a striker. Good positioning always. Very athletic and knows where to be each time the ball is coming. He is so strong and a fighter par excellence.” The Nigeria forward is now the leading scorer in the qualifying series with seven goals, and has now racked up an impressive tally of 17 goals in 25 matches for Nigeria at senior level. Osimhen’s seven goals in this qualifying campaign include the one goal he scored against Sierra Leone in Abuja in June 2022 to eventually give Nigeria a 2-1 win and three points on the first day of the series, and four of the 10 goals against Sao Tome and Principe in Agadir, Morocco few days later, on a day Nigeria set a new international win-record. Apart from President Weah, members of the Nigerian community in Liberia as well as other ecstatic fans of Osimhen from Liberia and Sierra Leone trooped to the window area of the Super Eagles’ dressing room trying to force it open while shouting: “We want Victor!” Osimhen’s two goals took Nigeria in front before Mustapha Bundu and Augustus Kargbo drew level, but in added period, Kelechi Iheanacho made good from a dashing run by Zaidu Sanusi that stunned the Liberian defence. Victory took Nigeria to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals with 12 points, with a match to spare, alongside second-placed Guinea Bissau, on 10. The Leone Stars crashed out with only five points. Hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Egypt, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Mali are the 14 countries that have qualified for Cote d’Ivoire 2023, with the remaining 10 to emerge in September. Nigeria will host the group’s whipping boys, Sao Tome and Principe in a purely academic exercise in September.

Eagles beat Sierra Leone 3-2, qualify for 2023 AFCON

The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Sunday qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Sierra Leone 2-3 in Monrovia, Liberia. The three-time African champions picked the ticket after defeating the Lone Stars at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium with one game to spare. A stoppage-time tap-in from Kelechi Iheanacho was the most important goal in a match where the Super Eagles surrendered a two-goal lead. Jose Peseiro started the match with the attacking trio of in-form Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, and Moses Simon. He also preferred the backline paring over Kenneth Omeruo and Semilore Ajayi as Willam Troost-Ekong was benched. The Eagles showed their intent in the early minutes of the game when Osimhen’s header was only stopped by Ibrahim Sesay, Sierra Loanean’s goalkeeper. A few minutes later, Chukwueze fired high and wide from the edge of the box after he was teed up. He then scuffed a bigger opportunity after Osimhen wrestled the ball off a defender to set him face-to-face with Sesay. Shortly, the early pressure paid for Nigeria as Osimhen pounced on a long ball and executed a perfect lob over the on-rushing Sesay, who watched as the strike sailed into the empty net. The Napoli striker doubled the lead in the 32nd minute after he was sent through on goal by a cute pass by Joe Aribo. With a well-executed assist from Ahmed Musa, Osimhen capitalized on the defense’s neglect and unleashed a magnificent left-footed strike, further cementing the Super Eagles’ advantage. Osimhen’s brace also propelled him to the top of the scorer rankings with seven goals, surpassing Sadio Mané. Mustapha Bundu restored hope for the Leone Stars when he struck from the edge of the box to reduce the deficit just before the break. Sierra Leone emerged from half-time with renewed determination, launching relentless attacks on the Nigerian camp. Their efforts bore fruit as Augustus Kargbo equalized, leveling the score at 2-2. The momentum clearly favored the Sierra Leoneans, who continued to create opportunities, albeit leaving gaps for the ever-vigilant Super Eagles. In the end, it was Kelechi Iheanacho who seized the moment, securing Nigeria’s qualification with a crucial goal. This result also guarantees qualification for Guinea-Bissau.