Africa Cup of Nations: Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen is close to the goalscoring record

Where Victor Osimhen is in Nigeria, there is hope.

The 27-year-old striker and his fellow Nigerian side face hosts Morocco in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday, where they have recorded five wins from five matches so far.

Osimhen shares second place on the tournament’s top scorers list with four goals, equal to Liverpool and Egyptian Mohamed Salah, and one goal behind Moroccan Ibrahim Diaz.

But the tournament has not been easy for Galatasaray striker Osimhen or the Super Eagles, as a high-profile on-pitch controversy threatened to overshadow their impressive displays.

His altercation with Ademola Lookman during the 4-0 win over Mozambique in the round of 16 attracted plenty of headlines, with reports – denied by Nigeria – suggesting Osimhen had threatened to leave the camp.

Osimhen confronted Lookman for failing to pass the ball to him in a clear goal-scoring position and then signaled to manager Eric Chele to replace him, which he duly did. Osimhen went straight down the tunnel at full-time, and did not take part in the celebrations on the pitch.

The storm has since calmed, with the players – including Osimhen himself – and Chele insisting any internal strife had been quashed shortly after the final whistle.

But people who know him well insist Osimhen would not be the same striker without the will to win, and say any accusations of selfishness towards the striker could not be further from the truth.

With two goals needed to equal the late Rashidi Yekini as Nigeria’s all-time top scorer with 37 goals, Osimhen is on the verge of cementing his place in Nigerian football folklore.

“It doesn’t matter if you have equaled or surpassed the record. I believe Mr. Rashidi Yekini is the best striker the Super Eagles have ever produced,” he said.

“I’m doing my best. Of course, it’s amazing to be part of Super Eagles history.

“So I’m trying to win something important for my country. And I think with the help of my teammates I’m on this path,” he added.