Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen to miss two AFCON qualifiers — Premium Times Nigeria
Nigeria national team forward Victor Osimhen will miss the team’s first two qualifying matches for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, due to a muscle strain.
Recovery has taken longer
The Nigeria national team confirmed that the Galatasaray forward’s recovery is taking longer than expected. Osimhen did not play in the Turkish league match in which his club lost 0-4 to Trabzonspor.
According to Premium Times Nigeria, the player’s absence from that match confirmed information provided by Galatasaray to Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle: the forward is still recovering and will not be ready for the national team’s matches during the September international window.
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Osimhen sustained the injury on September 4 in Galatasaray’s match against Istanbul Basaksehir, which ended in a 3-2 victory for his team. He scored a goal but left the pitch in the 33rd minute. The club later reported that examinations had revealed a moderate or more severe strain of the right adductor muscles with bleeding.
Nigeria national team matches
Due to the injury, Osimhen has already missed a Champions League match against Sporting and a Turkish Super Lig game against Kocaelispor. He was included in the 24-player squad for the qualifying matches announced on Thursday, as the club and the national team coaching staff hoped he would recover before the international window.
Nigeria will host Madagascar on September 25 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, before playing away against Guinea-Bissau in Bissau on September 29. Tanzania are also in the group and, as one of the hosts of the tournament’s final stage, have already secured a place at the Africa Cup of Nations. Chelle’s remaining attacking options include Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Samuel Chukwueze, Tolu Arokodare, George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor.
