Gift Orban chasing Super Eagles star Cyriel Dessers’ record

New Nigeria star Gift Orban is aiming to become the second Nigerian star to finish as the top scorer in the UEFA Europa  Conference League. 

Dessers made history last year after finishing as the top scorer of the inaugural edition of the UECL. 

The Cremonese striker scored ten goals for Feyenoord in the competition, although the Dutch side lost the final 1-0 to AS Roma.

Orban is now hoping to replicate the same feat with Gent. 

The 20-year-old, who is one of the breakout stars this season, has scored five goals in four games in the Conference League this season for the Belgian Club. 

The U-23 Eagles invitee is seventh in the top scorers’ chart, but he is only one goal behind the race leader Luka Jovic. 

Astonishingly, four of Orban’s five strikes came against one team. The former Stabaek Football star scored a hat-trick in Gent’s 4-1 win over Basaksehir FK in the second leg of their round of 16 clash. 

Orban had scored in the reverse fixture before scoring a hat-trick in Istanbul. His other strike in the competition came in the playoff round against Qarabaq, with Genk winning the tie on penalties. 

 It is an incredible return for Orban, considering he only joined Gent in January, meaning he missed the whole group stage. 

The Super Eagles prospect has also been scoring goals for fun in the Belgian top flight, with seven goals in six games, including four against Zulte-Waregem. 

Orban has been a brilliant addition to the Gent squad, with his form earning him a call-up to Nigeria’s U23 squad for the clash against Guinea on Wednesday. 

However, reports claim he could miss the game as his invitation arrived late.