Seated in the presidential box as Nigeria tackled Sierra Leone in the Day 5 game of their group for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, President George Weah of Liberia could not stop singing the praises of Super Eagles’ forward Victor Osimhen.
Following his excellent season in which he scored 25 league goals to steer SC Napoli to their first Italian Serie A title in 33 years, President Weah, the 1995 World, European and African Footballer of the Year had penned a personal letter to Osimhen asking him to keep working hard and breaking new grounds.
On Sunday, as he sat in the presidential box 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, among others, Weah could not stop singing Osimhen’s praises.
The Napoli forward did not disappoint, with an outstanding performance, scoring in the 20th and 33rd minutes to steer Nigeria into a 2-0 lead.
“That is what I call a striker. Good positioning always. Very athletic and knows where to be each time the ball is coming. He is so strong and a fighter par excellence.”
The Nigeria forward is now the leading scorer in the qualifying series with seven goals, and has now racked up an impressive tally of 17 goals in 25 matches for Nigeria at senior level.
Osimhen’s seven goals in this qualifying campaign include the one goal he scored against Sierra Leone in Abuja in June 2022 to eventually give Nigeria a 2-1 win and three points on the first day of the series, and four of the 10 goals against Sao Tome and Principe in Agadir, Morocco few days later, on a day Nigeria set a new international win-record.
Apart from President Weah, members of the Nigerian community in Liberia as well as other ecstatic fans of Osimhen from Liberia and Sierra Leone trooped to the window area of the Super Eagles’ dressing room trying to force it open while shouting: “We want Victor!”
Osimhen’s two goals took Nigeria in front before Mustapha Bundu and Augustus Kargbo drew level, but in added period, Kelechi Iheanacho made good from a dashing run by Zaidu Sanusi that stunned the Liberian defence.
Victory took Nigeria to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals with 12 points, with a match to spare, alongside second-placed Guinea Bissau, on 10. The Leone Stars crashed out with only five points.
Weah: Osimhen fan
Osimhen had also drawn accolades from the former AC Milan player after his superlative performance in the Serie A, where he helped Napoli win their first Serie A title in 30 years.
The Super Eagles striker was the star man of the season, winning the golden boot with 26 goals,, five more than his closest challenger, Inter’s Lautaro Martinez and becoming the first African to do so, surpassing Samuel Eto’s 21-goal haul in a season.
He had also earlier shattered the all-time African scoring record held by Weah, with a remarkable 46 goals.
