AFCON opinion: Osimhen should deliver Lumumba’s justice on Algeria

Super substitute Adil Boulbina’s stupendous strike in Algeria’s 1-0 extra-time defeat of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the 2025 AFCON on Tuesday is the sole reason Morocco’s streets are so deserted.

Before that goal, the Leopards supporters, rallied by Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, standing motionless for the entire duration of matches while portraying the late Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba, made this CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) a unique spectacle.

Now with the colourful DRC fans back home, there is simply no one to showcase kwasakwasa dance moves, let alone offer pan-Africanism lessons on Lumumba in Rabat.

For breaking the Lumumba statue with that cruel 119th-minute missile, Algeria should pay in some kind of way when they face off against Nigeria in the AFCON quarterfinal on Saturday.

Afterall, the reincarnation of Lumumba offered solace to all teams that are back home prematurely from the tournament as if they just went shopping.

Lookman And Osimhen: Angry Cousins Ready to Deliver Again At AFCON

For all those reasons, neutrals from Kinshasa and across Africa will rally behind the Super Eagles to vent their anger on Algeria through two angry cousins, Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen. The duo’s lust for scoring can get feisty and nasty at times.

Who cares whether towering forward will maim the Algerians and dish team-work lessons to Lookman in Yoruba?

You see, the temperament of the Osmihen tells us one thing: He thinks he is Cristiano Ronaldo, yet somehow wants to model himself around Didier Drogba. Only to find himself possessed by Mario Balotelli’s demons.

With three goals in four games at the ongoing AFCON, all those of us mourning the coup on Lumumba do not really care whether the Galatasaray FC star will present us with Ronaldo’s finesse or Balotelli’s madness on Saturday.

All we know is that the Super Eagles, after fighting on the pitch and then off it, have two troubled cousins to deliver justice on behalf of the DRC and Lumumba.

The Fennec Foxes have the assuring sight of the legendary Zinedine Zidane to lift up their spirits and that of his son, Luca Zidane, between the sticks.

Baghdad Bounedjah has looked likely. Riyad Mahrez has not floated and dazzled off the wings like his Leicester City and Manchester City days yet. But what we know is that justice is coming on Saturday.

Algeria vs Nigeria head-to-head

Total matches: 21

Nigeria wins: 9

Algeria wins: 7

Draws: 5