Victor Osimhen has taken another giant step toward rewriting Nigeria’s football history, moving closer than ever to Rashidi Yekini’s iconic goalscoring record after delivering two crucial extra-time goals in the Super Eagles’ 4–1 triumph over Gabon in Rabat.
The Galatasaray striker, already in red-hot form heading into the playoffs, rose to the occasion once again when Nigeria needed him most.
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With the game locked at 1–1 after 90 minutes, Osimhen took control of the contest—first with a sharp angled finish in the 102nd minute, then with a composed strike in the 110th—to guide the Eagles into Sunday’s playoff final.
Those two goals have now lifted his national team tally to 31 goals, just six behind Rashidi Yekini’s all-time record of 37, a milestone that has stood unchallenged since the early 1990s.
For years, Yekini’s mark seemed untouchable. But Osimhen’s relentless output, athletic dominance, and consistency have brought him within striking distance of Nigerian football immortality.
With a scoring rate of nearly 0.7 goals per game and Nigeria guaranteed at least one more high-intensity fixture in Morocco, the opportunity to further close the gap is firmly within reach.
Beyond the individual milestone, Osimhen’s brilliance ensured Nigeria avoided heartbreak in a match overshadowed by off-field tensions and an earlier training boycott.
His extra-time heroics demonstrated not just his quality but his leadership—stepping up when the nation needed him most.
As the Super Eagles now await the winner of the Cameroon vs DR Congo clash for a place in the intercontinental playoff, Osimhen’s chase for history has become an added storyline energizing the fan base.
Nigeria is one win away from keeping its World Cup dream alive. Osimhen is six goals away from overtaking the greatest striker the country has ever produced.
Both races continue—and both feel closer than ever.
