The Super Eagles ran riot against a hapless Sao Tome and Principe side, recording a resounding 10-0 win in their second Group A game of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers at the Adrar Stadium, Agadir in Morocco on Monday, Completesports.com reports.
It is officially Nigeria’s biggest ever win in football and it is the second time the country would score 10 goals in a match after thrashing Dahomey (now Benin Republic) 10-1 on 28 November 1959.
The star of the Agadir showpiece was Victor Osimhen who scored four goals and provided two assists.
Also Read – Live Blogging: Sao Tome & Principe Vs Nigeria – AFCON 2023 Qualifiers
Terem Moffi and Ademola Lookman opened their goals accounts for the Eagles, with the former bagging a brace while the latter aside scoring a goal, also helped himself with an assist.
The game saw Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, make four changes with Ademola Lookman, Zaidu Sanusi, Oghenekaro Etebo and Terem Moffi all starting.
Super Eagles’ Terem Moffi vs Sao Tome and Principe captain, Joazhifel Pontes
Simon wore the captain’s armband following injury to William Troost-Ekong in the game against Sierra Leone in Abuja on Thursday and also scored and recorded an assist.
The win took the Eagles to the top of Group A and will be in action again in the qualifiers when they will host Guinea-Bissau in September in their third fixture.
Sierra Leone will welcome Guinea-Bissau in Group A’s other game which will come up later on Monday.
The Eagles had the first attempt on goal in the third minute as Osimhen raced towards goal but was flagged for offside.
Osimhen would not be denied in the 10th minute, heading in Simon’s cross from the left to put the Eagles 1-0 up.
In the 15th minute São Tomé launched their first attack but Francis Uzoho made a good save.
Osimhen almost added his second goal of the game in the 22nd minute, as he headed from close range off a corner from Moses Simon but the keeper made a good save on the line.
In the 28th minute Simon made it 2-0 after he bundled in Osimhen’s assist which came from a long pass from Ola Aina.
São Tomé went forward and had a chance in the 33rd minute through Luis Leal but his shot missed the target.
The Eagles could have extended their lead on 36 minute after Terem Moffi rounded the keeper but his intended pass to Osimhen was intercepted.
With two minutes left to play in the first half Moffi made it 3-0, running on to a through pass from Osimhen, beat his marker before slotting into the back of the net with a left-foot low shot.
Osimhen added the fourth goal on 48 minutes after heading into an empty net a brilliant cross from Lookman.
Also Read – SUPERB! Super Eagles’ Rating In AFCON 2023 Qualifiying Big Win Against Sao Tome
In the 53rd minute Lookman had a good opportunity to add the fifth goal after interchange of passes with Moffi, but his attempted curler went wide off target.
The Eagles continued to go in search of more goals and were rewarded in the 55th minute with a superb free-kick from Etebo.
Osimhen thought he had bagged his hat-trick on 57 minutes after finishing off a beautiful pass from Sanusi, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
A minute later the Eagles made two changes with Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi replacing Simon and Aina respectively.
In the 60th minute Moffi grabbed his second of the game and the Eagles’ sixth as he slammed in Sanusi’s low cross.
The Eagles continued to run riot and got their seventh through Lookman, who hammered into the net after Moffi’s initial effort was saved by the keeper.
Osimhen eventually got his hat-trick and the eight for the Eagles on 65 minutes, as he ran to a through pass from Musa in the middle and slotted his effort under the keeper.
In the 71st minute the Eagles made a triple change with Leon Balogun, Umar Sadiq and Emmanuel Dennis going in for Bassey, Moffi and Lookman.
With six minutes left Osimhen registered his fourth goal to put the Eagles 9-0 up from another assist from Musa.
Few minutes later Osimhen almost got his fifth but saw his effort hit the woodwork.
In two minutes of added time the Eagles were awarded a penalty which was converted by Dennis who was fouled.
Moses Simon in action against Sao Tome and Principe
MATCH STATS
SAO TOME & PRINCIPE: 0NIGERIA: 10 (V. Osimhen 9′,48′, 65′, 84; M. Simon 28′; T. Moffi 43′ 60′; O. Etebo 55′; A. Lookman 64′, E. Dennis 92′)
Yellow Card: O. Aina 58′
SAO TOME & PRINCIPE Starting Lineup:
1. Anastasia Bragança (GR)16. Aldair Cruz4. Nilton Correa20. Ebanilson Viegas14. Edmilson Viegas (22. Luís Adroir 81′)2. Ivonaldo Mendes5. Nazaré Jardel8. Joazhifel Pontes (Capt.)10. Luis Leal15. Luis Selemane (11. Mauro Santos 62′)18. Aderito Peres de Mata (7. Joel Neves 61′)
Subs Not Used:
3. Hernane Almeida9. Valter Rocha pop12. Feher Mendes13. Gil Carvalho19. Jokceleny Carvalho21. Ronaldo Afonso24. Geoxking Fernandes
Coach: Adriano Eusébio (Sao Tome & Principe)
NIGERIA Starting Lineup:
23. Francis Uzoho (GK)2. Ola Aina (12. Shehu Abdullahi, 58′)3.Zaidi Sanusi5. Semi Ajayi21. Calvin Bassey8. Oghenekaro Etebo (6. Leon Balogun, 71′)15. Moses Simon Capt. (7. Ahmed Musa 58)18. Alex Iwobi Iwobi14. Terem Moffi (19. Sadiq Umar 71′)13. Ademola Lookman (17. Emmanuel Dennis 71′)9. Victor Osimhen
Subs Not Used:
1. Adeleye Adebayo4. Frank Onyeka10. Joe Aribo11. Samuel Chukwueze16.Adeyinka Adewale20. Cyriel Dessers22. Kenneth Omeruo
Coach: Jose Peseiro (Portugal)
By James Agberebi
Photos credit: Andrew Randa
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