Victor Osimhen tallied Segun Odegbami’s Nigeria scoring record of 23 goals with his effort that pulled the Super Eagles level in Thursday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Group D draw against the Benin Republic, which ended 1-1 at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan in Ivory Coast.
The Napoli loanee, who has taken the Turkish Super Lig by storm in the colours of Galatasaray, rose above a sea of Cheetahs defenders to nod home on 81 minutes, his 23rd in 38 appearances for Nigeria since making his debut in 2017.
He thus matched the feat of Segun Odegbami, who scored the same number of goals in 47 appearances for Nigeria between 1976 and 1981.
Nicknamed Mathematical, Odegbami was famous for his skill on the ball, speed, and precision of his crosses from the right wing. He was a key member of the Nigeria team that lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy on home soil in 1980, scoring in the final against Algeria in Lagos.
Osimhen represented Nigeria at the U-17 and U-23 levels before he graduated to the senior team, making his Super Eagles debut in a 2–0 defeat against South Africa on 10 June 2017.
He netted his first goal in the 2023 AFCON qualifier against Sierra Leone and weighed in with three goals in a 10–0 win against São Tomé and Príncipe. It was his first senior international hat-trick for the Super Eagles. In the reverse fixture played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on 10 September 2023, the 25-year-old scored his second international hat-trick in Nigeria’s 6–0 win against São Tomé and Principe, finishing the 2023 AFCON qualifiers as the top scorer with 10 goals.
(PUNCH)