Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen etched his name into Nigerian football history on Tuesday after becoming the first Nigerian player to hit double figures in the UEFA Champions League.
The 26-year-old striker achieved the feat in Galatasaray’s clash against Premier League champions Liverpool at Rams Park, scoring his side’s opener in a match-day two encounter.
Making his first full start for the Turkish giants since recovering from an ankle injury sustained during Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa, Osimhen confidently converted a 16th-minute penalty. The spot-kick was awarded after Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai fouled inside the box, and the Nigerian coolly dispatched his effort past goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
The goal was Osimhen’s 10th in the Champions League, moving him ahead of former Nigerian greats in the competition. Obafemi Martins previously held the record with nine goals, while Ademola Lookman, Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, and Yakubu Aiyegbeni each have five.
Osimhen’s achievement further cements his reputation as one of Africa’s leading forwards on the continental stage, as he continues to inspire Galatasaray’s European campaign.
