'It was an incredible goal' - Osimhen backs his wonder strike to be a candidate for Fifa Puskas award

Victor Osimhen has backed his goal for Galatasaray in the 3-0 win over Antalyaspor in the Süper Lig fixture played yesterday for the FIFA Puskás Award.

The Puskás Award is given to a player adjudged to have scored the most beautiful goal in a calendar year and is named after late Real Madrid striker and legend Ferenc Puskás, regarded as one of the most prolific forwards ever in the round leather game.

Osimhen had sustained an injury before the international break which influenced the decision to name him as a substitute for the first time since joining the Turkish giants in the summer.

He came off the bench to score an overhead kick to round up the scoring for Galatasaray to become the player with the most goal contributions per minute of all the players to have played at least 200 minutes in the Turkish top flight in this campaign.

Speaking post-match, Osimhem was quoted as saying by Galatasaray official website: "The goal was an incredible one. We got 3 points from here, I am very happy for that. I dedicate this goal to our coach, today is his birthday. 

"When we look at the first half, we were not that good, we took the lead thanks to the goals scored by Mauro and we were able to play much better in the second half. 

"We had a 4-day holiday and as a result we rested well, now we will continue in the same way.

"The first goal was normal, but it was not normal for the second goal not to count. These things are part of football. What is important here is for us to get three points as a team and to progress well."

Asked whether his goal deserved a Puskás nomination, the reigning African Men's Player of the Year didn't hide his feelings.

"Of course it could be. It was an incredible goal. It's a classy goal, why not, it could be,” 

The Napoli loanee was a Ballon d'Or nominee last year and could become the first Nigerian to be nominated for the Puskás Award.

Paul Onuachu was tipped to be nominated  when he scored with an acrobatic kick for  Trabzonspor in their 2-1 win over Konyaspor last season but missed out.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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