BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

There have been 261 goals scored in 110 matches played so far as the qualifying matches for Cote d’Ivoire gets to conclusion this weekend. Six of them are own goals.

Nigeria Victor Osimhen leads Senegal’s Sadio Mane with two goals as the qualifying series for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations comes to a close. The Super Eagles face hapless Sao Tome and Principe who are already eliminated.

Senegal, who like Nigeria, already qualified also have eliminated Rwanda to face in the last match day. Like Nigeria, Senegal also play at home.

Although the last match day is not a direct confrontation of Nigeria and Senegal, it is an indirect confrontation of Osimhen and Mane.

Goals from the two will give a definite picture of the lead scorer in the qualifying series.

At the moment, Osimhen sit atop with seven goals – great thanks to the four goals he scored in the Match Day 2 against Sao Tome & Principe in a 10-0 rout.

Three other goals in two matches against Sierra Leone put his total at seven.

He could be upstaged at the top position if he fails to score against Sao Tome & Principe on Sunday in Uyo and if Mane scores more than two goals against Rwanda.

Victor Osimhen’s two goals against Sierra Leone on Sunday did not just aid Nigeria’s victory and subsequent qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, the in-form striker is now the lead scorer in the qualification series.

The brace has taken his total to seven, surpassing Senegal’s Sadio Mané with whom he had earlier tied with five goals.

Leading the scorers’ chat at the preliminary competition of the Africa Cup of Nations as well as his accomplishment at the Serie A last season will obviously swing the pendulum of African Footballer of the Year in favour of Osimhen.

The award was last won by a a Nigerian in 1999 when Nwankwo Kanu was crowned just before the Nigeria-Tunisia Africa Cup of Nations opener in Lagos in 2000.

The award will be made in Rabat Morocco on 11 December.

The Goal Scorers:

7 goals

• Victor Osimhen – Nigeria

5 goals

• Sadio Mane – Senegal

4 goals

• Dango Quattara – Burkina Faso
• Louis Mafouta – Central African Republic
• Peter Shalulile – Namibia
• Patson Daka – Zambia

3 goals

• Mohamed El Amine Amoura – Algeria
• Zinho Gano – Guinea Bissau
• Jorginho – Guinea Bissau
• Lyle Foster – South Africa
• Youssef Msakni – Tunisia

2 goals

• Gelson Dala – Angola
• Bonfols-Caleb Bimenyimana – Burundi
• Youssouf M’Changama – Comoros
• Cedric bakambu – DR Congo
• Omar Marmoush – Egypt
• Mostafa Mohamed – Egypt
• Mohamed Salah – Egypt
• Federico Bikoro – Equatorial Guinea
• Emiliao Nsue – Equatorial Guinea
• Sabelo Ndzinisa – Eswatini
• Ablie Jallow – Gambia
• Osman Bukari – Ghana
• Mohammed Kudus – Ghana
• Naby Keita – Guinea
• Chris Kouame – Cote d’Ivoire
• Ibrahim Sangare – Cote d’Ivoire
• Ganbadinho Mhango – Malawi
• Mohamed Camara – Mali
• El Bilal Toure – Mali
• Aboubakar Kamara – Mauritania
• Youssef En-Nesyri – Morocco
• Geny Catamo – Mozambique
• Daniel Sosah – Niger
• Terem Moffi – Nigeria
• Moses Simon – Nigeria
• Luis Leal – Sao Tome & Principe
• Boulaye Dia – Senegal
• Mustapha Bundu – Senegal
• August Kargbo – Senegal
• Zakhele Lepasa – South Africa
• Saimon Msuva – Tanzania
• Kodjo Laba – Togo
• Euloge Placca – Togo
• Haythem Jouini – Tunisia
• Lameck Banda – Zambia
• Kings Kangwa – Zambia

1 goal

• Youcef Belaïli-Algeria
• Ramy Bensebaini– Algeria
• Baghdad Bounedjah– Algeria
• Riyad Mahrez – Algeria
• Aïssa Mandi-Algeria
• Kialonda Gaspar – Angola
• Lucas João – Angola
• Felício Milson – Angola
• M’Bala Nzola– Angola
• Jodel Dossou–  Benin
• Abdoul Rachid Moumini– Benin
• Steve Mounié– Benin
• Junior Olaitan – Benin
• Mbatshi Elias– Botswana
• Gape Mohutsiwa – Botswana
• Kabelo Seakanyeng – Botswana
• Stephane Aziz Ki – Burkina Faso
• Hassane Bandé – Burkina Faso
• Issoufou Dayo – Burkina Faso
• Abdoul Tapsoba– Burkina Faso
• Abedi Bigirimana-Burundi
• Hussein Shabani – Burundi
• Vincent Aboubakar– Cameroon
• Olivier Kemen – Cameroon
• Karl Toko Ekambi – Cameroon
• Bebé– Cape Verde
• Clé – Cape Verde
• João Paulo Fernandes – Cape Verde
• Ryan Mendes — Cape Verde
• Jamiro Monteiro — Cape Verde
• Júlio Tavares – Cape Verde
• Geoffrey Kondogbia– Central African Republic
• Karl Namnganda– Central African Republic
• Isaac Ngoma – Central African Republic
• Samuel Nlend -Central African Republic
• El Fardou Ben Nabouhane– Comoros
• Ibroihim Djoudja– Comoros
• Benjaloud Youssouf – Comoros
• Thievy Bifouma–  Congo
• Gabriel Charpentier-Congo
• Antoine Makoumbou-Congo
• Jonathan Bolingi -DR Congo
• Gaël Kakuta – DR Congo
• Arthur Masuaku -DR Congo
• Fiston Kalala Mayele -DR Congo
• Aaron Tshibola -DR Congo
• Tarek Hamed– Egypt
• Ahmed Sayed Zizo -Egypt
• Mahmoud Hassan Trézéguet -Egypt
• Saúl Coco– Equatorial Guinea
• Iban Salvador– Equatorial Guinea
• Siboniso Ngwenya– Eswatini
• Shimelis Bekele-Ethiopia
• Dawa Hotessa– Ethiopia
• Kitika Jemma -Ethiopia
• Kenean Markneh – Ethiopia
• Abubeker Nassir -Ethiopia
• Shavy Babicka -Gabon
• Lloyd Palun -Gabon
• Hamza Barry – Gambia
• Omar Colley – Gambia
• Felix Afena-Gyan -Ghana
• Antoine Semenyo -Ghana
• Mohamed Bayo -Guinea
• Morgan Guilavogui -Guinea
• Serhou Guirassy – Guinea
• François Kamano -Guinea
• Ilaix Moriba – Guinea
• Mama Baldé-Guinea Bissau
• Zidane Banjaqui -Guinea Bissau
• Alfa Semedo – Guinea Bissau
• Serge Aurier  -Cote d’Ivoire
• Sébastien Haller-Cote d’Ivoire
• Franck Kessié-Cote d’Ivoire
• Jean-Philippe Krasso  -Cote d’Ivoire
• Tshwarelo Bereng-Lesotho
• William Jebor-Liberia
• Mohammed Sangare-Liberia
• Tonia Tisdell-Liberia
• Saleh Al Taher-Libya
• Njiva Rakotoharimalala-Madagascar
• Kalifa Coulibaly– Mali
• Aliou Dieng-Mali
• Nene Dorgeles-Mali
• Kamory Doumbia-Mali
• Sékou Koïta -Mali
• Ibrahima Koné -Mali
• Adama Malouda Traoré -Mali
• Aly Abeid -Mauritania
• Nouh Mohamed El Abd -Mauritania
• Hassan Houbeib – Mauritania
• Abdallahi Mahmoud -Mauritania
• Mouhamed Soueid – Mauritania
• Hemeya Tanjy -Mauritania
• Ayoub El Kaabi -Morocco
• Fayçal Fajr -Moroccco
• Hakim Ziyech -Morocco
• Clésio – Mozambique
• Stanley Ratifo -Mozambique
• Gildo Vilanculos -Mozambique
• Absalom Iimbondi -Namibia
• Wendell Rudath -Namibia
• Amadou Sabo -Niger
• Emmanuel Dennis -Nigeria
• Peter Etebo -Nigeria
• Kelechi Iheanacho -Nigeria
• Alex Iwobi -Nigeria
• Ademola Lookman -Nigeria
• Thierry Manzi -Rwanda
• Gilbert Mugisha-Rwanda
• Blaise Nishimwe -Rwanda
• Eba Viegas – Sao Tome & Principe
• Boulaye Dia – Senegal
• Habib Diallo  -Senegal
• Iliman Ndiaye  -Senegal
• Youssouf Sabaly  -Senegal
• Abdoulaye Seck -Senegal
• Musa Noah Kamara  -Sierra Leone
• Abu Komeh-Sierra Leone
• Alhassan Koroma -Sierra Leone
• Jonathan Morsay -Sierra Leone
• Abubakarr Samura -Sierra Leone
• Mihlali Mayambela -South Africa
• Peter Chol – South Sudan
• Chol Daniel – South Sudan
• Tito Okello – South Sudan
• Valentino Yuel – South Sudan
• Mohamed Abdelrahman -Sudan
• Waleed Al-Shoala -Sudan
• Muhamed Kome -Sudan
• George Mpole -Tanzania
• Kévin Denkey -Togo
• Seifeddine Jaziri -Tunisia
• Ali Maâloul – Tunisia
• Naïm Sliti -Tunisia
• Fahad Bayo -Uganda
• Milton Karisa -Uganda
• Rogers Mato -Uganda
• Enock Mwepu -Zambia
• Fashion Sakala – Zambia

1 own goal

• Ditsele – Botswana  (against Equatorial Guinea)
• Serge Aurier  -Cote d’Ivoire (against Zambia)
• Mohammed Al Tuhami – Libya (against Equatorial Guinea)
• Boubakar Kouyaté -Mali  (against South Sudan)
• Munir Mohamedi – Morocco (against South Africa)
• Rehan Angier  -South Sudan (against Gambia)