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Tag: Victor Osimhen

  • Ikpeba reveals player that will win African footballer of the year

    Ikpeba reveals player that will win African footballer of the year

    Former Nigerian forward and African footballer of the year, Victor Ikpeba has tipped Napoli Striker, Victor Osimhen to win this year’s African Footballer of the Year award ahead of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Bayern Munich’s Senegal forward Sadio Mane.

    The former Monaco forward noted that Osimhen’s rivals, Mane and Salah are not doing well at the moment.

    Prince of Monaco as Ikpeba was fondly referred to made this known while speaking on Supersport’s magazine show, Monday Night Football where he said Osimhen present form good enough to win the award.

    , “Osimhen doesn’t need to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be crowned the African Footballer of The Year for 2023.

    “If Napoli wins the Serie A and they get to the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League, like the semifinals or the final, he can be the African Footballer of The Year.”

    He added, “Osimhen’s rivals for the award, the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, are really struggling at the moment.”

    Osimhen has been in top form for Napoli so far this season, scoring 18 goals in 18 Serie A matches.

    His form for Napoli has attracted interest from Chelsea and Manchester United in the English Premier League.

  • Serie A : Osimhen grabs goal number 18, set new record

    Serie A : Osimhen grabs goal number 18, set new record

    Super Eagles Napoli Striker, Victor Osimhen, scored in Napoli’s 2-0 away win against Sassuolo FC on Friday night to take his tally to 18 in the Serie A.

    The Nigerian forward making his 197th appearance for both club and country scored his 100th career goal in the 33rd minute to double Napoli’s lead in the encounter.

    Strike partner, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had shot the club into the lead 12 minutes into the game  as Napoli’s relentless charge to win the title received a major boost.

    The Nigerian brilliantly held off two defenders before catching Andrea Consigli off guard with a ferocious effort hit early from a tight angle.

    The Nigerian’s stunning record surpasses the achievements of the quartet of seven time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, Didier Drogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo.

    Messi reached the 100th goal mark after 210 appearances for both club and country while Drogba (236), Ibrahimovic (245) and Ronaldo (301).

    The goal was his 18th Serie A goal of the season in 19 games .

    Napoli are on 62 points from 23 games while second place Inter Milan have 44 points from 22 games.

    His strike also saw him become the first player to score in seven consecutive Serie A games for Napoli.

    Osimhen who was replaced in the 83rd minute by Giovanni Simeone now hold the third best min-per-goal ratio in Serie A since the 1994/95 season scoring a goal in every 124 minutes.

    Former Nigerian Midfielder, Austin JayJay Okocha has tipped Osimhen to be crowned the next African Footballer of the year.

     

  • Victor Osimhen will be crowned next African best – Okocha

    Victor Osimhen will be crowned next African best – Okocha

    Former Mercurial Super Eagles Midfielder, Austin Okocha has tipped Napoli forward, Victor Osimhem to be crowned the next African footballer of the year.

    Osimhen  has been highly inspirational for Napoli this season, scoring a couple of goals and topping the Serie A scorer’s chart.

    The former Lille forward is currently the top scorer in the Italian topflight, having scored 17 goals in 18 games for the Parthenopeans.

    Former midfield maestro Okocha believes the ex-Lille star is a strong contender for the prestigious African award and also expressed confidence in his chances of winning it.

    “Yes definitely, I think he is the best player in Africa right now and I have no doubt that he is a very strong contender for that award,” Okocha told newsmen.

    The former Paris Saint-German star noted that Osimhen’s hunger for goals stood him out among other strikers in Europe.

    “Osimmeh is hungry to score goals and shoots smartly when he playing. It’s not something that you can learn, it comes naturally, maybe when you grow up in this side of the world, you learn on the streets how to fetch for yourself.

    “You can see in Osimhen’s eyes the hunger for success and I think that is what is driving him.”

    Osimhen’s exceptional performance has attracted interests from top clubs in the Premier League, with Manchester United and Chelsea keen on signing the Nigerian striker in the summer.

    The 24-year-old was linked with a move to Old Trafford in January but turned down the chance of joining the Red Devils.

    Osimhen’s impressive form earned him Serie A’s best player of the month for January, while he was also named the winner of the Serie A Goal of The Month award for his stunning Pele-like goal against Roma in the same month under review.

    His  17 goals in 18 games has helped Napoli to stay on top of the Serie A standing thereby putting the club at a vantage position to win the scudetto first time in over 30 years.

  • Serie A: Osimhen scoops January player of the month Award

    Serie A: Osimhen scoops January player of the month Award

    Super Eagles Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen has scooped the Scudetto player of the month of January, 2023.

    Osimhen’s heroics for Napoli in the past weeks is unprecedented, scoring five goals and providing one assist in four matches for Napoli in the Serie A.

    Osimhen scored highest number of votes to beat countryman Ademola Lookman and host of others.

    The striker previously scooped the Serie A Goal of the Month award.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Osimhen was previously nominated for the award in October and November but lost out to Juventus forward, Moise Kean and AC Milan winger, Rafael Leao.

    The 24-year-old beat compatriot Ademola Lookman, Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, Roma forward, Paulo Dybala and Lazio midfielder, Luis Alberto to the individual honour.

    The Nigeria international is third the Napoli player to have won the award in the last five months.

    Osimhen will be presented the award during the pre-match of Napoli versus Cremonese at the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday.

    The Nigerian striker is also in the running to win the Scudetto’s golden ball award after scoring 16 goals in 17 games to top the Serie scorer’s chart.

     

     

     

  • Serie A: Osimhen breaks Ronaldo’s ‘high-flying’ record in Italy

    Serie A: Osimhen breaks Ronaldo’s ‘high-flying’ record in Italy

    Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen has broken Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-standing jump record after leaping to 2.58 meters to score a goal in Napoli’s 3-0 demolition of Spezia.

    Osimhen broke Ronaldo’s record when he netted his first goal – Napoli’s second of the day – against the Little Eagles at the Stadio Alberto Picco.

    The Nigeria international has scored great headers during his career, but the goal against Spezia was truly extraordinary and could go down as a contender for the greatest headed goal in football history.

    After a goalless first half, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gave Luciano Spalletti’s side the lead after converting from the penalty spot before Osimhen added the game’s second in the 68th minute with a remarkable effort.

    Osimhen is Serie A’s highest goal scorer for the current season after netting 16 goals in 17 games for the League Leaders.

    Napoli are on the verge of winning the Scudetto first time in over 30 years,

  • Serie A: Osimhen scores two in Napoli’s 3-0 demolition of Spezia

    Serie A: Osimhen scores two in Napoli’s 3-0 demolition of Spezia

    Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen has increased his goals tally to 16 after scoring two goals in Napoli’s 3-1 win over Spezia on Sunday.

    The 24-year-old would have made it a hattrick but the center referee ruled out one of his goals.

    Spezia who narrowly lost to Napoli in the first leg made life difficult for Napoli in the first half of the reverse fixture.

    Kvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring for Napoli from the spot two minutes after the break before setting up Osomhen’s two other goals.

    Osimhen nodded home on 68th minute after Spezia goalkeeper, Bartlomiej Drągowski spilled Kvaratskhelia’s cross into his path.

    The Nigeria international then tapped home from close range five minutes later to make it 3-0 for Napoli.

    The gangling forward now tops the scorers chart with 16 goals from 17 league appearances for Napoli, coming second is Ademola Lookman with 12 goals.

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  • Serie A: Osimhen’s wonder strike against Roma rated best goal in January

    Serie A: Osimhen’s wonder strike against Roma rated best goal in January

    Victor Osimhen’s wonder strike against Roma last weekend  has been rated best Seria goal for the month of January 2022.

    In a poll done by Football fans in Italy, Osimhen’s ferocious first-half strike in Napoli’s 2-1 win against Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma won the hearts of the majority of football fans in Italy.

    “As voted by yourselves…The @cryptocom #SerieA January goal of the month is @victorosimhen9’s audacious strike in the Derby del Sole. ” reads a tweet on the official Twitter handle of Lega Serie A.

    The 24-year-old has led Napoli’s charge for the first Scudetto in 33 years with his consistent scoring form.

    The striker is currently the top scorer in the Italian top flight with 14 goals from 16 games.

    Osimhen has also been nominated for the January Player of the Month award.

    The Nigeria international scored five times in four appearances for the Partenopei in the month.

    The gangling striker is in the running for the African footballer of the year award for the year 2023.

    This will be first time in many years a Nigerian will be considered for the annual awards presently held by Senegal’s Sadio Mane.

  • Serie A: You must stop diving – Jose Mourinho advises Osimhen

    Serie A: You must stop diving – Jose Mourinho advises Osimhen

    Roma FC of Italy coach Jose Mourinho has praised the heroics of Nigerian Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen but advised him to stop diving on the pitch.

    Recall that Seria A league leader, Napoli defeated Roma 2-1 last week in a game Mourinho saw Osimhen mesmerize his side.

    The Nigerian international extended his tally to 14 Serie A goals this season when he expertly controlled Kvicha Kvaratskhelia’s cross with his chest, then juggled it on his right thigh before smashing in the right-foot volley.

    His 14-goal tally matched his overall record of last season.

    “I told him that he scored a wonderful goal and needs to stop diving so much,” Mourinho said after the game.

    “His goal was fantastic, he did the same thing when we met earlier this season, so he’s a fantastic player. But he mustn’t dive.

    The former Tottenham and Chelsea also revealed that he would sign him if I was at a club with a lot of money.

    “If Victor changes, then OK. I’d buy him if I was at a club with a lot of money,” he continued.

    “However, if he does go to England one day, he needs to change, because in Italy they put up with this sort of behaviour, whereas in the Premier League, they’d come down hard on him.”

    Napoli, who are gunning for a third Scudetto 33 years after their last triumph, are away to Spezia in their next Serie A game on Sunday.

  • Red-hot Osimhen scores goal number 14 as Napoli beat Roma 2-1

    Red-hot Osimhen scores goal number 14 as Napoli beat Roma 2-1

    Red hot Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen scored the opener for Napoli 2-1 win against Roma in the Italian scudetto.

    Giovanni Simeone scored the winner to secure Napoli’s victory to consolidate their position on the top of the Italian serie A.

    Osimhen latched on to a cross from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from the left flank, chested the ball, controlled with his thigh before blasting a well taken shot into the right corner of the Roma post to give Napoli the lead in the 17th minute.

    Substitute Simeone rifled home a wonderful finish at the end of a long passing move with four minutes remaining at the bouncing Stadio Maradona to see off a spirited Roma team who thought they had escaped with a point when Stephan El Shaarawy levelled in the 75th minute.

    The result meant Napoli are now 13 points clear of the league standing with 50 points from 20 games while Inter-Milan come second with 40 points from same number of games. Lazio are in distant third from 38 points in 20 games.

    Home fans hoping for an end to their 33-year wait for the Scudetto let out a powerful roar of joy and relief at the final whistle after coming through a hard-fought contest with fierce rivals Roma thanks to Simeone’s fifth goal after coming off the bench this season.

    “I tried to give everything I had. I did the best thing possible today which was get the winner. I am so happy,” said Simeone.

    Osimhen leads the Serie A scorers chart with 14 goals followed strictly by another Nigerian Ademola Looman who plays for Atalanta FC.

     

  • Two Nigerian forwards top Italian Serie A scorers chart

    Two Nigerian forwards top Italian Serie A scorers chart

    Victor Osimhen has taken his goals haul to 13 in the Italian Serie A after scoring the winning goal in Napoli’s 2-0 away win over Salernitana on Saturday.

    Andre-Frank Anguissa combined with Mario Rui to pull back from the by-line, as Di Lorenzo took a touch and smashed the finish off the underside of the crossbar on the stroke of 45th minute to end the first half in favour of Napoli.

    Upon restart of the second half, the Nigerian striker tapped in a rebound shot after Eljif Elmas right-foot strike from outside the box bounced off the far post, into his path to make it a fourth goalscoring league match in five, and put himself four goals clear of his nearest chasers in the league’s scoring charts.

    Another Nigerian attacker, Ademola Lookman has been painting the Italian Serie A  with goals after closing in on his closest rival Osimhen.

    Lookman reduced the tally between himself and Osimhen to two after grabbing his 11 Serie A goal against Juventus.

    The 25-year-old joined La Dea for €9m in August and has proved to be worth every penny, having scored 13 goals in 19 appearances, including two against Juventus on Saturday evening.

    Already, Juventus are already looking to sign the deadly attacker who has been dubbed defender’s nightmare in the Scudetto.

    Both players have been selected for the Serie A player of the month award category for January.