Osimhen battles Salah for AFCON qualifiers top scorer’s spot

Tuesday’s game between Rwanda and Nigeria and Botswana versus Egypt will not only be about nations seeking to secure maximum points to boost their chances of appearing at the next African Nations Cup in Morocco in 2025, but there will also be a battle for who emerges Africa’s all-time top scorer in the history of the qualifiers.

Egypt’s Mohammed Salah leads the list with 18 goals from 26 matches spread across eight qualifying games while Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen is second with 16 from just four qualifiers.

While Osimhen, who scored in Nigeria’s 3-0 demolition of the Cheetahs of Republic Benin in Uyo last Saturday, will be spearheading the Super Eagles’ attack at the Amahoro stadium, Salah fired blanks in the Pharaoh’s 3-0 defeat of Cape Verde, is expected to still lead the charge for an away win at Gaborone.

If Osimhen hits a brace against the Amavubi Stars on Tuesday and Salah fires blank for the second game in a row, the two will be tied on 18 goals going into the next round of games in October.

Osimhen (22) is now Nigeria’s third most prolific striker ever across all competitions after Rashidi Yekini (37) and Segun Odegbami (23) and the most prolific in AFCON qualifiers, ahead of Odion Ighalo and Ikechukwu Uche who both scored eight times each.