On a night that should have been defined by total dominance on the scoreboard, the conversation surrounding Nigeria’s 4-0 demolition of Mozambique has shifted to a heated exchange between the attacking duo of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
The Super Eagles dismantled Mozambique’s Mambas in a Round of 16 AFCON 2025 clash in Fes on Monday night.
Osimhen struck twice, with one goal assisted by Lookman, who also added another to his tally as Nigeria made their intentions clear. The two forwards are both on three goals at this tournament, with Lookman leading the assists table with four so far.
The humiliation of the Mambas has made Nigeria the top scorers at the AFCON so far, with 12 goals in four matches. Despite the lopsided victory, a 64th-minute flashpoint has left many questioning the Super Eagles’ squad chemistry.
The tension peaked just after the hour mark. With Nigeria already comfortably ahead, cameras captured Osimhen in a heated confrontation with the Atalanta star inside the opposition penalty area.
The disagreement, reportedly sparked by a breakdown in passing communication, saw the Galatasaray talisman gesture animatedly at his teammate. The drama took a sharper turn moments later when Osimhen signalled to the bench. He was promptly replaced by Moses Simon.
WHAT LOOKMAN AND ERIC CHELLE SAID ABOUT THE OSIMHEN CONFRONTATION
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle refused to comment on the issue. “What happened on the pitch will stay in the group,” Chelle stated firmly. “I keep that for me, and everything that happened in the life of the group stays in the life of the group… we will see after that, and we will talk.”
The Serie A forward, Lookman, also avoided the question. “I don’t think that’s really important, I think the team winning 4-0…. He’s our number one guy, everybody knows this, a top striker, a top player,” said Lookman.
Following the impressive results, the former Mali coach emphasised that to achieve greater ambitions, continuous improvement was essential.
“We didn’t do anything special; we just won one game. If we want to be ambitious, we need to continue to improve and keep this quality on the pitch.”
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