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AFCON: Osimhen Speaks On Equaling, Surpassing Rashidi Yekini’s Goals Record For Nigeria

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has stated that he is not focused on equaling or surpassing the late Nigerian international Rashidi Yekini’s goal record for the national team.

Osimhen, however, expressed hope he would equal Yekini’s record in the future.

The Galatasaray striker spoke at his post-match interview after captaining the Super Eagles to beat Uganda 3-1 in Tuesday’s AFCON group stage tie.

Osimhen is just goals away from equaling Yekini’s goals record for the Super Eagles.

The 27-year-old former Napoli attacker has so far scored 32 goals for Nigeria, while Yekini had 37.

“The captaincy today gave me a strong sense of belonging.

“I’m not thinking about equaling or surpassing Rashidi Yekini’s record for now; it’s all about the team,” Osimhen told reporters after Nigeria won against Uganda.

“I am trying to fight for my team to get goals, assists, but yes, hopefully not this AFCON and maybe not the qualifiers, but one day I know I am going to get there.”

I Was Kicked Out Of Super Eagles For Not Passing Ball To Yekini – Siasia Opens Up

Former Super Eagles forward, Samson Siasia, has revealed the reasons behind his removal from the national team during a stage of his playing career.

It was one of the most difficult moments of the former striker’s football career.

Siasia said that it was simply because he refused to pass the ball to his teammate, Rashidi Yekini that saw him temporarily dropped from the team.

Siasia, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles, was reflecting on the golden generation of the national team between 1990 and 1998,

Siasia told Emmanuel Babayaro on UTVAfrica that it was normal for him not to pass the ball to Yekini, insisting that the striker failed to utilise earlier chances he had created.

The striker spoke about his on-pitch relationship with the late Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria’s all-time top scorer.

It was during a 1994 World Cup qualifier with Nigeria playing against Ivory Coast at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan.

Siasia preferred to shoot instead of passing to the better-positioned Yekini.

Then national team boss, Clemens Westerhof saw this as a selfish display and dropped Siasia from his squad.

“I am a striker. Rashidi Yekini won’t give me that ball if it was him, that’s the truth,” he said.

“Sometimes you miss, sometimes you score. Rashidi has been one of the greatest strikers ever I have played with. May his soul rest in peace.

“My downtimes? First was when I didn’t pass the ball to Rashidi Yekini and they had to kick me out of the team and I had to hustle myself back into the team. Trying times are always there to make you stronger.

“A lot of people talked about why I didn’t pass the ball to Rashidi Yekini. The one I passed to him he couldn’t even score too, so things happen, we don’t take it personal.”

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