Chapter 64: The hattrick in Green and White
The Abuja air still buzzed with the echoes of Brazil’s visit. Newspapers screamed headlines like ["Sam Crowned in Abuja"] and ["Ballon d’Or Brilliance"], while social media flooded with clips of his rabona, his elastico, and his crown celebration.
But football never paused.
The international break encompassed 2 games for Nigeria. First was the friendly game against Brazil, and the other was a World Cup qualifier game.
Three days later, Nigeria lined up again, this time against Sierra Leone. The glamour was gone, the names unknown, but the stakes remained.
At the Super Eagles camp, players joked over breakfast. Osimhen drummed his fingers against the table, teasing.
"Sam, Brazil was cute, but against Sierra Leone? If you don’t score three, I’m not talking to you again".
Sam rolled his eyes. "You’re supposed to be the striker".
"Today, I’m just your assistant," Osimhen grinned, not ashamed at all. "We all came to see your show".
Coach Eric Chelle eventually gathered them in the dressing room. His tone was firm, almost fatherly.
"Brazil gave us pride, but Sierra Leone will give us points. Don’t disrespect them. I want no sloppiness, show Africa that we’re serious."
The players nodded, tightening boots and taping wrists. Sam tugged at his pendant and whispered. "Legacy".
The starting XI for Nigeria today was arranged in the same 4-2-3-1 formation. Nwabali was in goal, and ahead of him was the quadruple of Ola Aina, Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and Sanusi. The 2 DMs were Wilfred Ndidi and Onyeka.
As for the 4 men upfront, Chukwueze played on the right, Sam as the central attacking midfielder, Lookman in left wing, and Osimhen as the striker.
As for Sierra Leone, they started in a 4-4-2 formation with Mohamed Kamara in goal, while ahead of him was the quadruple of Bangura, Caulker, Koroma, and Sesay. The midfield comprised Conteh, Keister, Mansaray, and Kallon.
The 2 strikers leading the line were Bundu and Koroma.
The stadium wasn’t as frenzied as the night against Brazil, but it still thrummed with anticipation. Tens of thousands in green and white wanted one thing, and that was to see their king dance again.
FWEEE!
The game started and from the onset, Nigeria pressed instantly.
Wilfred Ndidi dictated from deep, whole Frank Onyeka hunted the second balls. The difference in quality between both teams was stark.
As early as the 11th minute, Nigeria got their first and the provider was Samuel Chukwueze as the enigmatic winger skinned Sesay with a step-over and darted down the line, cutting a low ball across the box.
Osimhen dummied cleverly, dragging Caulker out as the ball rolled perfectly into Sam’s path.
One touch, right boot.
BAM!
The shot was low and clinical, sliding into the corner.
GOAL!
1-0 Nigeria.
The crowd exploded as Sam raised one fist, smiling, before gesturing for calm as if to say... one down, more coming.
The Super Eagles were dominant, corners and chances raining in as Sierra Leone’s Kamara pulled off two fine saves, denying Osimhen and Lookman to keep his team in the game, but he couldn’t fully stop the Nigerian brilliance.
In the 23rd minute, the stadium ignited.
Troost-Ekong intercepted a long ball and laid it to Sam who was still thirty yards out. As soon as the ball touched his leg, Sierra Leone backed off, wary.
While they backed off, Sam advanced.
With an elastic, he split Conteh before shrugging off Koroma with a body feint. By the time he reached the box, defenders swarmed.
He slalomed between two, chopped onto his left, and unleashed a curling strike that kissed the far corner.
GOAL!
2-0 Nigeria.
"MY GOD!" The commentator screamed.
"What a vintage solo goal from Samuel Moses!"
"The reigning King of football has just cooked something special, what a goal!"
As the commentators raved, Abuja rose in unison, singing his name. Osimhen hugged him tight, laughing. "That’s two! One more, king. One more!"
The referee’s whistle blew with Nigeria in cruise control as the game came to an end with them leading comfortably 2-0.
Stats flashed on the big screen.
[Nigeria shots: 9]
[Sierra Leone shots: 1]
[Possession: 72% Nigeria – 28% Sierra Leone]
It was total dominance from the Super Eagles.
In the dressing room, Eric Chelle smiled faintly.
"Good, but finish it," he smiled.
"Don’t let them breathe, Samuel". He looked at him directly. "The hat trick is there for the taking, take it".
Sam grinned, wiping sweat. "Yes, coach."
The second half began.
Sierra Leone tried to stiffen and lock out the game, retreating deep into their half but it only drew the waves of attacks heavier.
Ndidi sprayed diagonals like giveaways in a WhatsApp group chat. Chukwueze kept tormenting Sesay, while Lookman linked with Osimhen to create constant half-chances.
The crowd, sensing it, began chanting rhythmically.
"Hat... trick!" "Hat... trick!" "Hat... trick!"
Sam heard it, and his eyes narrowed.
He didn’t feel pressured at all. Rather, he felt a fire igniting inside him.
And then in the 61st minute of the game, it came like destiny.
Ndidi clipped a clever ball over Sierra Leone’s midfield. Osimhen, ever the warrior, bullied Caulker to chest it down.
Without hesitation, he nudged it sideways where Sam lurked. Sam arrived at full sprint; he didn’t take a touch, he struck it first time.
BAM!
A thunderbolt!
Outside of the right boot.
The ball screamed past Kamara and tore its way into the net’s top corner, sending Abuja into madness.
3-0 Nigeria. Samuel Moses hat trick!
BOOM!
The stadium exploded as Sam tore away to the corner, sliding on his knees, arms outstretched. His teammates mobbed him, Chukwueze jumping on his back, Osimhen bowing exaggeratedly.
Kayla, in the stands, covered her mouth with both hands, eyes shimmering with pride as the stadium devolved into pandemonium around her.
The announcer’s voice boomed. "Goal for Nigeria! Scored by the Ballon d’Or winner... Samuel Moses!"
The roar rolled like thunder across the capital.
With the game killed, Nigeria eased off in the final stretch as Iheanacho replaced Lookman, Simon replaced Chukwueze, bringing on fresh legs to keep the tempo.
Sam nearly added a fourth late on, curling wide from the edge of the box. Osimhen also went close, only denied by Kamara’s sprawling leg.
But Sierra Leone, though beaten, fought to the end. Bundu forced Nwabali into a late save with a snap-shot.
In the end, they couldn’t get a consolation goal.
The score line stood.
[FULL-TIME: Nigeria 3-0 Sierra Leone]
At the end of the game, players exchanged handshakes, Sierra Leone’s defenders patting Sam respectfully.
Caulker told him quietly. "Keep shining, young king."
Like the last friendly game, the Abuja crowd refused to leave, chanting long after the whistle. They had seen what they came for, three goals from their Ballon d’Or winner, the perfect encore to the Brazil epic.
In the press room, Eric Chelle beamed.
"Samuel is not just our star, he’s Africa’s symbol now. But remember, this is not only about him. This is a team, and today, Nigeria showed we are once again ready for the World Cup."
Sam sat beside him, golden boots flashing under the lights. Asked how it felt, he shrugged modestly.
"Goals are goals. What matters is we win, and we give joy to the people. But yes... to score a hat trick here, at home, for Nigeria," he smiled faintly. "This is special. I think my dad must be losing his mind at home," he laughed.
That night, as the team bus rolled through Abuja, Sam gazed out the window. Streets overflowed with fans waving flags, chanting his name.
He pressed his forehead against the glass, watching the horizon as thoughts swirled through his head.
In the reflection, he saw the glow of the Ballon d’Or in his mind, and for the first time, the golden boots of Adidas seemed to fit perfectly.
Nigeria had its king, and he was only getting started.