Nigerian striker Terem Moffi hit the 20-goal mark for the 2022/2023 season as his side OGC Nice defeated Rennes 2-1 in their Ligue 1 encounter on Saturday. Moffi has now joined Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen as one of two Nigerian strikers to score at least 20 league goals for their clubs this season.
The 23-year-old marksman who has been one of the shining lights in the French topflight this season, ended his tough run of three league games without a goal, making the most of a defensive error from the visiting Rennes, dribbling the goalkeeper to score what proved to be the match-winner in the game.
After a goalless first-half, Nice managed to get into the lead early in the second period as forward Gaëtan Laborde tucked in the opener in the 50th minute.
In the 72nd minute, Moffi got on the end of a fast break by Nice just after he had picked the pocket of a sloppy Rennes defender Arthur Theate. The Nigerian striker then effortlessly dribbled past the onrushing goalkeeper and tapped into an empty net for Nice’s second of the game.
#Ligue1 🇫🇷 – Dix-septième but en championnat pour Terem Moffi 🇳🇬, qui profite de l'erreur d'Arthur Theate pour tromper Steve Mandanda. Mais quelle lucidité !
📊 Nice s'impose (2-1) face à Rennes. #OGCNSRFC pic.twitter.com/0P1qkxRmkw
— CANAL+ SPORT Afrique (@cplussportafr) May 6, 2023
Benjamin Bourigeaud pulled one back for Rennes six minutes later courtesy of an assist from Cameroonian forward Karl Toko Ekambi, but it proved to be only a consolation as the game ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts.
Moffi’s goal takes his tally to 20 club goals for the season – 12 for Lorient and 8 for his current side OGC Nice. Impressively, 17 of those goals have been scored in the league alone.
On Saturday, Osimhen netted his 22nd league goal of the season to power Napoli to the Scudetto title, and with Moffi’s latest 20 goals for Nice, they are both shaping up as a potential strong partnership for the national team.
Worthy of note is the fact that this is the first time two Super Eagles players playing in Europe’s top five leagues will score twenty goals or more for club in the same season.
For the first time, two Nigerians playing in Europe's top five leagues have scored 20+ goals in all comps. in same season.
What a time to be alive! 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/JcLwKgQdHr
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) May 6, 2023
