CAPE TOWN – Victor Osimhen scored four goals as Nigeria completed a record 10-0 thrashing of Sao Tome & Principe in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group A qualifier in neutral Agadir, while World Cup-bound Morocco laboured to a 2-0 win over Liberia.
Nigeria, who surprisingly missed out on a place at this year’s World Cup in Qatar, completed their biggest international victory as Terem Moffi (two), Moses Simon, Peter Etebo, Ademola Lookman and Emmanuel Dennis also got on the scoresheet.
The defeat is not the heaviest in Sao Tome´s history however – that was an 11-0 loss to Congo in 1976, Reuters reported.
The victory means Nigeria has a maximum haul of six points from their opening two games as they seek to reach the continental finals in Ivory Coast next June.
That is two points ahead of Guinea-Bissau, who allowed Sierra Leone to rally from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw in a game played in Conakry.
Matchdays three and four are scheduled for September 19-27, although Senegal want them postponed so that they and fellow Qatar World Cup qualifiers Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia can play friendlies.
Two goals from Jorginho put Guinea-Bissau on their way to what looked like a comfortable three points.
But when Guinea’s left-back Sana Gomes received a red card after 56 minutes the momentum turned in the favour of the hosts as Augustus Kargbo and Musa Kamara pulled the Leone Stars level.
Morocco was poor in the opening half of their Group K victory over Liberia, which was played in Casablanca despite it being a ‘home’ fixture for the West African side.
Morocco leads the three-team pool with six points, while Liberia and South Africa meet in potentially decisive home and away fixtures in September.
Like Sao Tome and Sierra Leone, Liberia has been barred from playing at home by the Confederation of African Football due to their stadiums not being up to the required standard.
Faycal Fajr and Youssef En Nesyri scored quickfire second half goals as Morocco’s Atlas Lions made it two victories in two matches to stomp top of Group K.
Liberia, who is playing their home matches in Morocco due to unavailability of an approved venue back home had done well to hold off Morocco’s threat in the opening half, where chances were few and far in between.
The Moroccan forward line of En Nesyri and veteran Ayoub El Kaabi was kept quiet for the entire opening 45 minutes.
In the second half, though, the visitors in their own home turf were off to a flier and they moved ahead after 56 minutes when Fajr converted from the penalty spot after Amine Harit’s quick feet inside the box led to a penalty after he was hacked down.
Just two minutes on the turn, En Nesyri made it two goals in two qualification matches with the second goal, a neat finish between the keeper’s legs after being played through by a brilliant Azzedine Ounahi ball into the area.
The score-line was comfortable for the Atlas Lions and the defense marshalled by Achraf Hakimi didn’t have much to worry about as Liberia provided little danger moving forward.
