Super Eagles Soar With Record 10-0 AFCON Qualifier Victory

14th June 2022

Qualifying for the biennial competition has been staged since 1961 and Ghana, Kenya and Libya shared the record with eight-goal victories until Nigeria went on a rampage

Nigeria's Victor Osimhen controls the ball during the World Cup 2022 qualifying football match between Nigeria and Ghana at the National Stadium in Abuja on March 29, 2022. PHOTO | AFP
Nigeria's Victor Osimhen controls the ball during the World Cup 2022 qualifying football match between Nigeria and Ghana at the National Stadium in Abuja on March 29, 2022. PHOTO | AFP
SUMMARY
  • Victor Osimhen bagged four goals as Nigeria annihilated Sao Tome e Principe 10-0 on Monday to record the biggest victory in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying history
  • The Napoli forward led the scoring ahead of Terem Moffi (two), captain Moses Simon, Oghenekaro Etebo, Ademola Lookman and Emmanuel Dennis, who were all on target as well
  • Nigeria eclipsed their previous highest score in a Cup of Nations qualifier of seven against Burkina Faso in 1991 when now deceased Rashidi Yekini notched four

Victor Osimhen bagged four goals as Nigeria annihilated Sao Tome e Principe 10-0 on Monday to record the biggest victory in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying history.

The Napoli forward led the scoring ahead of Terem Moffi (two), captain Moses Simon, Oghenekaro Etebo, Ademola Lookman and Emmanuel Dennis, who were all on target as well.

Qualifying for the biennial competition has been staged since 1961 and Ghana, Kenya and Libya shared the record with eight-goal victories until Nigeria went on a rampage in the Atlantic resort of Agadir.

With Nigeria 153 places higher in the world rankings than Sao Tome, a one-sided encounter was expected, but after a fairly competitive first half, the game turned into shooting practice for the Super Eagles.

Nigeria eclipsed their previous highest score in a Cup of Nations qualifier of seven against Burkina Faso in 1991 when now deceased Rashidi Yekini notched four.

It was a home fixture for Sao Tome, but had to be moved to southern Morocco because the tiny island nation does not have an international-standard stadium.

Goalkeeper Anastacio Braganca, one of several home-based Sao Tomeans in the line-up, has conceded 15 goals in two matches after Guinea-Bissau put five past him in matchday one last week.

Osimhen revelled in the space offered by the minnows and is the leading scorer in 2023 AFCON qualifying with five goals, one more than reigning African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane from Senegal.

Sao Tome qualified by edging Mauritius 4-3 on aggregate in a preliminary tie, but were then disqualified by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) because one of the team broke the Covid-19 test rules.

The team, popularly known as The Falcons and True Parrots Team, appealed to a different CAF committee and were reinstated just nine days before their first group game.

Nigeria, title-holders Senegal, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Morocco won both matches at the start of qualifying for the 2023 tournament in the Ivory Coast.