Victor Osimhen explodes! Furious Nigeria star asks to be substituted during AFCON last-16 win over Mozambique after row with Ademola Lookman & storms down tunnel at full time

Nigeria's dominant performance at the Africa Cup of Nations was overshadowed by an extraordinary internal meltdown. What should have been a night of unbridled celebration, marking a comfortable passage to the quarter-finals and a comprehensive 4-0 demolition of Mozambique, descended into farce as star striker Osimhen publicly turned on his strike partner Ademola Lookman in a bizarre on-pitch altercation.

The Super Eagles arrived at the tournament with a massive point to prove following the heartbreak of failing to qualify for a second successive World Cup. Monday’s victory sets up a quarter-final tie against either Algeria or the Democratic Republic of Congo, the very side that denied them a World Cup berth in the play-off final back in November. However, the build-up to that crucial fixture will now inevitably be dominated by headlines of a rift in the camp rather than the team's free-flowing football.

The breakdown in the relationship was all the more baffling given how the evening began. For the first hour of the match, Osimhen and Lookman looked like the deadliest duo in the tournament, tearing the Mozambican defence apart at will. In the 25th minute, following a sensational pass from Alex Iwobi, Lookman turned provider for Osimhen. The chemistry was palpable; the centre-forward sprinted towards the Atalanta winger, and the pair slid together on the wet turf, joined by Bruno Onyemaechi in a heap of beaming smiles and collective joy.

The harmony continued immediately after the interval, with Lookman leaping into Osimhen’s arms after setting him up for his second goal of the night. The pair, sitting as the competition’s joint-second-top goalscorers, appeared unstoppable.

However, the atmosphere shifted violently moments later. The two forwards began bickering, with Osimhen visibly agitated, gesturing that Lookman was refusing to pass to him. The tension boiled over when Iwobi found Frank Onyeka in space; Onyeka fed Lookman, who opted to dribble through a congested defence rather than square the ball to his strike partner. When Onyemaechi and Akor Adams subsequently ignored an unmarked Osimhen to drive into the box themselves during a dangerous counter-attack, the Napoli striker threw his hands up in furious frustration.

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

The situation escalated from sporting frustration to physical confrontation seconds later. As Lookman approached the corner flag to take a set-piece, the 27-year-old Osimhen completely snapped. He squared up to his team-mate, pointing aggressively in Lookman’s face while the winger looked on in perplexed silence.

The scene became increasingly chaotic as captain Wilfred Ndidi rushed over to intervene, only for Osimhen to petulantly slap his arm aside. In a moment that summed up the absurdity of the situation, it was Mozambique defender Reinildo who eventually had to shove Osimhen away to de-escalate the row between the two Nigerian players.

Remarkably, Osimhen then took matters into his own hands regarding the team's tactics. He signaled furiously to the bench that he wanted to come off, effectively dictating his own substitution. He was duly replaced by Moses Simon in the 68th minute, despite Nigeria cruising with a 3-0 lead. It was a concerning sight for the coaching staff, watching their star player essentially sub himself off due to a temper tantrum rather than an injury.

The drama did not end with the final whistle. While the rest of the squad and coaching staff formed a huddle on the pitch to celebrate their progression to the last eight, Osimhen was nowhere to be seen. He walked straight down the tunnel, bypassing the media and his team-mates entirely.

Reports from the ground indicate he was the first to leave the dressing room and went to sit on the team coach by himself. The rest of the squad did not emerge for at least another 10 minutes, with many stopping to conduct interviews in the mixed zone, seemingly unbothered by the sulking figure waiting on the bus.

Observers noted that nobody seemed particularly keen to check on their vice-captain, creating an atmosphere where it felt like the squad were "ignoring a petulant child." As Nigeria prepare for the next round, the unity of the squad is suddenly under the microscope, with their talisman isolated and their impressive on-pitch form in danger of being derailed by egos off it.