Super Eagles forward Osimhen is now within touching distance of Rashidi Yekini’s long-standing Nigeria goal record following a dominant display at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Victor Osimhen scored twice as Nigeria thrashed Mozambique 4–0 in their Round-of-16 encounter at the Complexe Sportif de Fès in Morocco on Monday, January 5, 2026.
The victory also featured goals from Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams, sealing Nigeria’s passage into the quarter-finals.
Osimhen found the net in the 25th and 47th minutes to raise his international goal tally to 34, leaving him just three goals shy of Yekini’s historic record of 37 goals for the Super Eagles.
The Galatasaray striker opened the scoring by tapping in an assist from Akor Adams before doubling Nigeria’s advantage early in the second half after connecting with a pass from Lookman.
He was substituted in the 63rd minute following a brief on-field disagreement with Lookman, though it did little to overshadow his contribution.
The match also marked Osimhen’s 50th appearance for Nigeria, further underlining his growing influence and legacy with the national team.
Yekini, who retired in 1998, remains Nigeria’s all-time leading scorer with 37 goals from 62 appearances, a record that has endured for decades.
Since March 2025, Osimhen has been in prolific form for the Super Eagles, scoring nine goals in 10 matches.
He overtook Segun Odegbami in March 2025 to become Nigeria’s second-highest goal scorer and continues to close the gap on Yekini.
Despite approaching the milestone, Osimhen insisted his focus remains firmly on team success.
“I don’t think about records,” he said. “I just fight for the team and try to contribute with goals and assists.”
Osimhen has now scored three goals at AFCON 2025, placing him joint second on the tournament’s goal-scoring chart.
Nigeria will face either Algeria or DR Congo in Saturday’s quarter-final clash as they continue their quest for a fourth AFCON title.
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