'We saw what Guinea-Bissau did to us' - Osimhen warns against complacency v Sierra Leone 

Victor Osimhen has warned his Super Eagles teammates to take nothing for granted when they face Sierra Leone in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in  Monrovia on Sunday. 

Having been in the team that surrendered a four-goal lead to draw 4-4 against Sierra Leone in an AFCON qualifier in Benin City in November 2020, the Napoli striker is aware that the Leone Stars are aiming to cause another upset. 

In addition, the Super Eagles lost their 100 percent record in Group A of the AFCON qualifiers in a 1-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau on matchday three, so Osimhen has learned his lesson not to be overconfident. 

Sierra Leone have named three players who spent the formative years of their careers playing for London teams Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur. 

Apart from Osimhen, Jose Peseiro has at his disposal quality players such as Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Samuel Chukwueze as he aims for his fourth competitive win since his appointment as Super Eagles manager. 

Speaking to reporters in Lagos, Osimhen said: "The game on Sunday is a huge one for us. We cannot write off Sierra Leone because we saw what Guinea-Bissau did to us in Abuja.

"They are also a good group, they have quality individual players that can execute the job for them, but just like them also we have a great team with great players.

"Individually and collectively we are good. The coach is also good with a good strategy. We want to play for Nigerians, we want to win our fans back. This is the most important thing for us because without the fans I don't think we can really do so well.

"We want to win the fans back, we want to get the ticket to the AFCON and probably God willing win it but of course the job starts on Sunday and we have a good chance to get the ticket to the AFCON."

With five goals to his name, Osimhen is the joint leading scorer in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, along with Senegal star Sadio Mane. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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