World Cup Qualifiers: Red-Hot Osimhen Fires Warning Shot To Rwanda, Zimbabwe
- Hits hat-trick for Galatasaray
Super Eagles’ striker Victor Osimhen turned up in style again for the Turkish giants, Galatasaray on Friday with a hat-trick in their 4-0 win over Antalyaspor, sending warning signals to Nigeria’s opponents in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers
Osimhen’s performance also saw him topping the Turkish Super Lig scorer’s chart with 20 goals, with Galatasaray opening a 10-point lead over Fenerbahçe SK (who have played two games less)
Ahead of the international break, the Nigerian striker opened scoring in the match-day 27 encounter by meeting Alvaro Morata’s pinpoint far-post pass, slamming the ball home to give Galatasaray a 1-0 lead.
Osimhen’s second goal came on the stroke of halftime, courtesy of a brilliant delivery from Barış Alper Yılmaz down the right, which he dispatched with precision to make it 3-0 after he had handed Morata the opportunity to double the lead from the penalty spot moments earlier.
His hat-trick was sealed in style after the restart. He raced onto Yunus Akgün’s exquisite through ball before hammering a low shot past the goalkeeper, to push the score line to 4 – 0.
So far, the 26-year-old Nigerian forward has now scored 20 goals this season for Galatasaray in the Lig, overtaking former leader Krzysztof Piatek (18) as the player with the most goals this season.
Football enthusiasts are already anticipating that Osimhen’s form is a warning signal to Nigeria’s opponents; Rwanda and Zimbabwe, as the Super Eagles regroup on Sunday to revive their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Yet to feature in the underwhelming Eagles’ campaign due to injuries in the past, the on-loan striker is expected to lead the line for Coach Eric Chelle’s first assignment in charge of the Nigerian National football team.
With just days away from the World Cup qualifying games in Kigali and Uyo, Osimhen is quoted as saying; “You have to give everything; you know it’s a dream of every youngster to be at the World Cup. Mine is no exception.
“So for me, I want to be there just like every one of my teammates and we are really looking forward to the game against Rwanda and Zimbabwe to try and correct all the mistakes we have made in the past. So, we will be ready”.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face the Wasps of Rwanda in Kigali on March 21 and Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital on March 25, 2025.
