Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has downplayed
his on-pitch altercation with Victor Osimhen during Nigeria’s emphatic 4–0
victory over Mozambique at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), insisting
the incident was purely football-related and not personal.
Speaking to reporters after the Round of 16 encounter
on Monday in Fez, Lookman dismissed suggestions of any rift between the two
attackers.
“No, I have not seen him yet. Nothing happened. It was
just a discussion on the pitch. That is it,” said the Atalanta winger, who
scored twice in the match.
“It’s just football. It’s always football. He is my
brother,” added Lookman, the 2024 African Player of the Year.
The brief exchange occurred while Nigeria were already
leading 3–0, when Osimhen appeared frustrated with Lookman for not passing the
ball to him despite being in a better position to score.
“It is a team game,” Osimhen was heard saying on the
pitch, despite the fact that Lookman had already provided an assist for him
earlier in the match.
Osimhen, who plays for Galatasaray, was later
substituted and walked straight into the tunnel at the final whistle, sparking
speculation among fans about possible tension within the squad.
The incident has since generated debate online, with
some supporters criticising the 27-year-old striker’s reaction during the game.
Despite the momentary disagreement, the Super Eagles
delivered a dominant performance. Osimhen scored twice, Lookman added a goal,
while Akor Adams also got on the scoresheet as Nigeria recorded the biggest win
of the tournament so far.
Lookman was named Man of the Match for the second time
at the competition and is currently leading the race for combined goals and
assists, with three goals and four assists in three matches.
Nigeria will face either Algeria or DR Congo in the
quarter-finals, with both teams set to clash on Tuesday for a place in the last
eight.
The Super Eagles are hoping to go one step further
than the previous edition, where they finished runners-up after losing to hosts
Côte d’Ivoire in the final.
Comments:
Leave a Reply