On The Rise: Who Can Stop Nigeria’s Newest Kid Wonder?
Victor Osimhen was the favourite Nigerian name on the lips of most football lovers in France last term, but a younger compatriot is following the Napoli man’s footsteps in the Western European country
Terem Moffi spectacularly announced himself to the football world last week when he grabbed the winner for lowly Lorient in a 3-2 triumph over champions PSG.
And on Tuesday evening, the youngster proved once again to be the hero for his side as he grabbed the second goal in the 2-1 defeat of Paris FC in a Coupe de France clash at the Stade Yves Allainmat.
The 21-year-old was introduced in the 80th-minute with the scoreline at one-all, after Yoane Wissa’s second-half penalty had cancelled out Moustapha Name’s 13th-minute strike.
With the tie poised to end in a draw, Moffi came off the bench to slam home an 83rd-minute winner and send Christophe Pélissier’s side to the next round of the French Cup.
Every appearance continues to confirm that Terem Moffi has been the best €8 million Lorient have spent in recent times.
The French side snapped up Moffi from Belgian First Division A club Kortrijk on the first of October, with the attacker penning a four-year deal.
The centre-forward, the first Nigerian to play for the Ligue 1 club, has been leading the side’s charge to avoid relegation at the end of the season.
Moffi got his French adventure to a fantastic start when he scored on his debut in the 3-1 victory away to Reims.
The youngster waited until December before finding the back of the net again in Lorient’s 2-2 draw at Nice.
January 2021 yielded four goals in four games for the Nigerian forward. Moffi scored in his side’s defeat to Monaco and Bordeaux, and also in Lorient’s 3-2 win over Dijon.
However, his most influential goal to date arrived on the last day of the month, when the former Kortrijk man outshone Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr to hand Lorient an unlikely home win.
Tuesday’s strike against the Ligue 2 side was Moffi’s first goal in his maiden appearance in the domestic cup competition, proving he has no preference for any foe, big or small.
Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has confessed that Moffi is one of the new Nigerian stars he and his team keep tabs on.
And it is only a matter of time before Moffi takes his game to the international level.
Osimhen may have dumped the Ligue 1 for the Serie A last summer, but the Nigerian flag continues to fly high in France, all thanks to the new kid on the block, Terem Moffi.
