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Victor Osimhen has declared his intent to challenge the game’s biggest names for the UEFA Champions League top scorer award after another dazzling performance for Galatasaray, Footynaija.com reports.
The Nigerian striker struck thrice as the Turkish champions brushed Ajax aside 3-0 in Amsterdam on Thursday night, continuing a blistering start to his European campaign.
His first goal came in style, a classy header from a Leroy Sane cross just before the hour mark, before calmly dispatching two penalties after Ajax conceded a pair of handballs. The double took Osimhen’s tally to six goals in just three Champions League appearances this season, a feat that has propelled him above some of the continent’s most prolific finishers.
Having already scored the match-winner in Galatasaray’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool on matchday two and a brace against Bodo Glimt on matchday three, Osimhen now leads the golden boot race ahead of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane; all tied on five goals.
Despite playing for a club not traditionally counted among Europe’s elite, the 25-year-old remains confident in his pursuit of the top scorer honour.
“Of course, I think I have the quality to do so, but I do it with the support of my teammates,” Osimhen told Galatasaray.org.
“They love giving me the ball, just like they did today. It’s a team effort, and I believe that with my teammates and their support, such a possibility is definitely possible. I will fight for it.”
Osimhen’s performance in Amsterdam not only extended his scoring streak but also saw him achieve two major milestones.
He is now Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the UEFA Champions League with 15 goals, surpassing every compatriot before him. His hat-trick also makes him only the second Nigerian, after Yakubu Aiyegbeni in 2002, to achieve the feat in Europe’s most prestigious competition.
