Four key takeaways from Super Eagles’ crushing win over Sao Tome and Principe

Nigeria finished their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying job in style after hammering Sao Tome and Principe 6-0 in Uyo on Sunday afternoon.

Here are the four takeaways from the encounter:

1. Victor Osimhen is legendary

Osimhen netted a hat-trick as the Super Eagles sent Sao Tome and Principe to the cleaners.

The Napoli striker nodded home the opener before slotting home his second after a good run off the shoulder of the last defender. He then smashed home from the penalty spot for his second-ever hat-trick for the Super Eagles.

Interestingly, his first came in the 10-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe in June last year.

Osimhen now has 20 goals for Nigeria, moving to fifth on the highest goalscorer chart for the three-time African champions.

2. Iheanacho is Nigeria’s biggest creative outlet

Alex Iwobi is Nigeria’s number-one attacking midfielder, while Samuel Chukwueze,
Moses Simon, and Ademola Lookman often provide some tricky on the wings.

However, Kelechi Iheanacho has to be recognised as Nigeria’s most creative engine.

The Leicester City forward has a special left foot that commands the ball at will and sets the ball rolling in a way that delights attackers in front of him.

Iheanacho’s pre-assist for Lookman’s goal, his sumptuous assist for Awoniyi’s goal, and his overall movement cannot be replicated by any other player in the Super Eagles fold.

3. Boniface is Super Eagles quality

One of the biggest talking points ahead of Nigeria’s clash with Sao Tome and Principe centered around the three newly invited players – Jordan Torunarigha, Gift Orban, and Victor Boniface.

Eventually, only Boniface made his international debut, coming off as a second-half substitute instead of Taiwo Awoniyi.

And in the 26 minutes he was on the pitch, the Bayer Leverkusen man showed, with his deft touch and ball intelligence, why he is one of the most highly-rated youngsters in Germany.

Boniface capped his debut with a fine assist for Samuel Chukwueze’s goal, and he must have shown Jose Peseiro why he needs to be a constant feature for the Super Eagles.

4. Nigeria need more quality midfielders

Against Sao Tome and Principe, Jose Peseiro started with the duo of Frank Onyeka and Wilfred Ndidi and kept Joe Aribo and Raphael Onyedika on the bench.

Onyeka and Ndidi had a decent game, with the Leicester City midfielder capping his display with the assist for Lookman’s goal.

However, compared to the Super Eagles’ excellent options in attack, the team is lacking the x-factor in midfield.

Even against a limited opponent like Sao Tome and Principe, Onyeka and Ndidi struggled to dominate the centre of the pack.

It was enough to dispatch the island nation, but would it be equal to the task against tougher opposition at the Africa Cup of Nations in January?

That is one question Jose Peseiro must answer if he is to achieve his aim of conquering the continent in Ivory Coast in another four months.