Gabon Star Sends Message to Hat-Trick Hero Victor Osimhen Ahead of World Cup Playoffs
- Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina sent a message to Victor Osimhen after the striker’s hat-trick against Ajax
- Galatasaray beat Ajax 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League group stage match at the Johan Cruijff in Amsterdam
- Osimhen and Lemina will face off in the World Cup play-off when Nigeria play against Gabon on November 13
Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina sent a message to Victor Osimhen after the Galatasaray forward scored a hat-trick against AFC Ajax.
Osimhen was the star of the night in the UEFA Champions League group stage match with three goals against the Dutch side at the Johan Cruijff Arena.
Source: Getty Images
His first goal was a brilliant header from Leroy Sane's cross, similar to the one he scored for Nigeria against Benin, while the other two goals were penalties after handballs in the box.
According to UEFA, he became the Champions League top scorer this season with six goals, surpassing Kylian Mbappe and Harry, who have five goals each.
He was named the official man of the match for the third consecutive Champions League game, having also won it against Liverpool and Bodo/Glimt.
The Nigerian forward also extended his goal-scoring streak in European competitions for Galatasaray to eight games, and also became the first player to score a Champions League hat-trick for the club since Burak Yilmaz.
Mario Lemina sends message to Victor Osimhen
Galatasaray midfielder Mario has had enough of Victor Osimhen delivering top performances and sent a cheeky message to the Super Eagles forward in an Instagram post.
“+3, the Lion roared again 🦁 @victorosimhen9 you again 🥱 congrats,” he wrote.
“My brother, we keep going,” Osimhen replied.
The two club teammates will become opponents on November 13 when Nigeria and Gabon square off in the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs.
Both countries will fight for a chance to reach the final of the African play-offs, where they will face either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Source: Getty Images
The winner of the African play-off will participate in the intercontinental play-off in Mexico in March 2026 for a spot at the World Cup.
Gabon had a decent qualifying campaign and were outdone by African champions Ivory Coast’s near flawless campaign, while Nigeria had a late resurgence.
Wilfred Singo praises Osimhen
Lemina was not the only Galatasaray star to applaud Osimhen's brilliance; Ivorian defender Wilfred Singo acknowledged his influence on the team.
“Osimhen is a great player and a great striker. I'm very happy to play with him. He makes us win many matches with his goals. I'm very happy to play with him,” he told GS TV.
The team turns their attention to the weekend’s Turkish Super League match against Kocaelispor.
Osimhen reacted after his hat-trick
Legit.ng reported that Victor Osimhen reacted after his hat-trick against Ajax secured a big win for Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League.
The striker acknowledged the support of his teammates and believes he can win the Champions League top scorer award with their help.
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Source: Legit.ng
