Victor Osimhen’s journey to surpassing Rashidi Yekini’s Super Eagles goalscoring record
Victor Osimhen’s recent goal in Nigeria’s 3-0 victory over Benin has brought him closer to overtaking Segun Odegbami in Nigeria’s all-time scoring charts. However, he still has a long way to go before catching up with the legendary Rashidi Yekini.
During the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Uyo, Osimhen found the net just six minutes after coming on as a substitute. Ademola Lookman opened the scoring for the Super Eagles, and Osimhen’s well-placed finish from Wilfred Ndidi’s cross doubled the lead before Lookman added a third.
This goal marked Osimhen’s 22nd for Nigeria, putting him just one shy of Segun Odegbami’s 23 goals. Despite being out of form for six international games, Osimhen ended his goal drought and reignited his pursuit of climbing Nigeria’s goalscoring ranks.
Rashidi Yekini remains Nigeria’s top scorer with 37 goals, a tally that Osimhen is still 15 goals away from matching. The Napoli striker’s 22 goals for the national team have largely come in AFCON qualifiers, where he has netted 16 times in 13 matches. He has also scored four goals in World Cup qualifiers, one in AFCON tournaments, and one in friendly matches.
As Nigeria prepares to face Rwanda in their next AFCON qualifying fixture, Osimhen will aim to add to his tally and continue his chase to become Nigeria’s all-time leading scorer. With his current form, the striker is on track to surpass Odegbami soon and edge closer to Yekini’s formidable record.
