Seated withinside the presidential field as Nigeria tackled Liberia withinside the Day five recreation in their institution for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, President George Oppong Weah of Liberia couldn’t prevent making a song the praises of Super Eagles’ ahead Victor Osimhen.
Following his high-quality season wherein he scored 25 league dreams to influence SC Napoli to their first Italian Serie A name in 33 years, President Weah, the 1995 World, European and African Footballer of the Year had penned a private letter to Osimhen asking him to maintain operating difficult and breaking new grounds.
On Sunday, as he sat withinside the presidential field 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, amongst others, Weah couldn’t prevent making a song Osimhen’s praises.
The Napoli ahead did now no longer disappoint, with an top notch performance, scoring withinside the twentieth and thirty third mins to persuade Nigeria right into a 2-zero lead.
“That is what I name a striker. Good positioning always. Very athletic and is aware of wherein to be whenever the ball is coming. He is so robust and a fighter par excellence.”
The Nigeria ahead is now the main scorer withinside the qualifying collection with seven dreams, and has now racked up an excellent tally of 17 dreams in 25 suits for Nigeria at senior level.
Osimhen’s seven dreams on this qualifying marketing campaign consist of the only aim he scored in opposition to Sierra Leone in Abuja in June 2022 to ultimately deliver Nigeria a 2-1 win and 3 factors on the primary day of the collection, and 4 of the ten dreams towards Sao Tome and Principe in Agadir, Morocco few days later, on an afternoon Nigeria set a brand new worldwide win-record.
Apart from President Weah, individuals of the Nigerian network in Liberia in addition to different ecstatic fanatics of Osimhen trooped to the window region of the Super Eagles’ dressing room looking to pressure it open at the same time as shouting: “We need Victor!”
Osimhen’s dreams took Nigeria in the front earlier than Mustapha Bundu and Augustus Kargbo drew level, however in brought period, Kelechi Iheanacho made precise from a rushing run through Zaidu Sanusi that bowled over the Liberian defence.
Victory took Nigeria to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals with 12 factors, with a fit to spare, along second-positioned Guinea Bissau, on 10. The Leone Stars crashed out with simplest 5 factors.
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 international locations which have certified for Cote d’Ivoire 2023, with the ultimate 10 to emerge in September.
Nigeria will host institution whipping boys, Sao Tome and Principe in a in basic terms instructional exercising in September.
