By
Eniola Olatunji reporting 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Sunday at the Champions Nest, the Gods’will Akpabio Stadium in Uyo managed a 6-0 victory over the Falcons of Sao Tome and Principe in the Group A qualifier of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). 

The victory which was short of four goals to the first leg between both teams last year June makes the Super Eagles fly gleefully to their 21st appearance at the grand finale of the AFCON games since 1963 where the Super Eagles were three times champions in 1980, 1994 and 2013.

Possible Balloon Dor winner, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen scored a hat trick, opening scores in the 13th minute via Ademola Lookman assist; scored the 4th goal in the 69th minute when Sao Tome’s goalkeeper, Ronaldo Silva went the wrong way and made another one the 5th goal in the 79th minute when Samuel Chukwueze tipped him a pass to mess up the goalkeeper again. That makes his total haul so far 10 goals during the qualifier and the highest from any player.

Stand in Captain and Leicester FC Strongman, Wilfred Ndidi found Lookman for the 2nd goal in the 27th minute; Senior man and the star of the match, Kelechi Ihenacho connected Nottingham Forest goal merchant, Taiwo Awoniyi in the 51st minute for Nigeria’s 3rd goal while debutant and substitute Victor Boniface found unmarked African Best player in Spain, Samuel Chukwueze who just toed the ball into an empty net for Nigeria’s 6th goal.

Sao Tome’s Captain Luis Leal had boasted that his country was not in Nigeria for tourism but to revenge and humiliate the Super Eagles by caging the Nigerians but did not explain how a 10 goal deficit will be miraculously be cancelled. 
   
The only time both Nigeria and Sao Tome met was 13th June 2022 when Nigeria created her highest record ever with a 10-0 drubbing of Sao Tome at their backyard in a match where the only yellow card was given to Nigeria and Nigeria was 3-0 up at half time. Nigeria now score 16 goals against Sao tome alone.

Nigeria scored 22 goals conceding 4 which is a good record in this particular tournament having chalked 15 points to top Group A leaving Guinea Bissau to maintain integrity by beating Sierra Leone in the last group game to earn 13 points to qualify and leave Sierra Leone and Sao Tome stranded at the exit door with 5 points and just a point respectively.

In a group B qualifier played in Togo, the host nation, Hawks of Togo beat Cape Verde 3-2 but were downed unqualified as Burkina Faso made 11 points to top the group and Cape Verde clicked 10 points to qualify second from the group leaving Togo and Eswatini stranded. 

The Scorpions of Gambia are playing a crucial game against Congo at 2000 hours Sunday night in G to determine who qualifies with the Stallion of Mali that already has 15 points when Gambia has 9 points and with zero goals difference and Congo has 6 points with -5 goals difference. Gambia needs at least a draw to breathe and crawl to the grand finale.

Seven matches were played yesterday Saturday, Malawi played 2-2 draw with Guinea in group D; Ivory Coast defeated Lesotho by a lone goal in group H and Comoros played 1-1 with Zambia also in group H.

Mauritania beat Gabon 2-1 where DR Congo thrashed Sudan 2-0; Mozambique beat Benin Republic 3-2 in group L where Senegal surprisingly played 1-1 with Rwanda.

Nigeria’s Group A will be concluded tomorrow Monday when Guinea Bissau takes on Sierra Leone at 1700 hours. The last qualifying match is for Tuesday when Group C matches will be concluded at 2000 hours between the Lions of Cameroon and Burundi.