Victor Osimhen helped himself to four goals and Terem Moffi a brace as Nigeria ran riot, thrashing Sao Tome &Principe 10-0 in their second qualification match for the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations in Agadir on Monday.
Nigeria have now made it two wins out of two matches to sit top of Group A with six points and a +10 goal difference. They had started their campaign with a come-from behind 2-1 victory over Sierra Leone.
Osimhen started the party from as early as the ninth minute with a deft header from a Moses Simon cross that beat the reach of the keeper. Nineteen minutes later, the duoe reversed roles, this time Osimhen playing Simon through for the second goal.
Sao Tome offered some brief spell of resistance as they looked to prevent a whitewash. They managed to hold on until the 43rd minute when Moffi scored the first of his two when he controlled a cross from the right before rifling low into the net.
In the second half Nigeria were in no mood to let off and just three minutes in, Osimhen got his second with a neat finish from an Ademola Lookman cross.
Peter Etebo then made it five in the 55th minute with a well curled in freekick from the edge of the box, beating the keeper and coming off the underside of the bar.
Four minutes later, Moffi made it six with another simple finish, tapping home from close range after Sanusi Zaidu made a good cross from the left.
It was seven soon later when Lookman got his name on the scoresheet in the 63rd minute, finishing off from inside the box after Moffi’s initial chipped effort was punched by the keeper.
It was 8-0 two minutes later, Osimhen getting another goal with a neat finish between the keeper’s legs. He waited until the 84th minute to complete his four goals, running behind the defense from an Ahmed Musa pass before chipping over the keeper.
Substitute Emmanuel Dennis completed the double digit score for the Nigerians at the stroke of full time when he converted from the penalty spot, taking responsibility after he had been axed inside the box.
