Nigeria's national football team, the Super Eagles, has confirmed that star striker Victor Osimhen will miss the country's opening two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Osimhen, who plays for Galatasaray, has not recovered from a muscle strain he sustained during a Turkish Süper Lig match on 4 September. His absence from Galatasaray's 4-0 defeat to Trabzonspor on Saturday confirmed his withdrawal from the Super Eagles' squad.
Osimhen's recovery from the muscle strain has taken longer than initially expected, according to the Super Eagles media team. He was included in the squad for the AFCON qualifiers with the hope that he would recover in time for the international window. However, his absence from Galatasaray's match against Trabzonspor means he will not be ready for Nigeria's matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The Super Eagles' manager, Éric Chelle, had named Osimhen in his 24-man squad for the qualifiers when the list was announced on Thursday. Nigeria will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on 25 September, before travelling to Bissau to face Guinea-Bissau on 29 September. Osimhen's withdrawal leaves Chelle without one of his main attacking options as Nigeria begin their qualification campaign.
Osimhen suffered the injury during Galatasaray's 3-2 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir on 4 September, scoring before leaving the match after 33 minutes. Medical examinations revealed a moderate-to-advanced strain in his right adductor muscle group, with bleeding, and treatment had begun. The injury has already kept him out of Galatasaray's Champions League meeting with Sporting CP and a Süper Lig fixture against Kocaelispor.
Despite Osimhen's absence, Chelle still has several attacking options in the squad, including Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Samuel Chukwueze, Tolu Arokodare, George Ilenikhena, and Moses Usor. The Super Eagles are grouped with Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and Tanzania in the 2027 AFCON qualifying series. Tanzania, as one of the tournament co-hosts, already have an automatic place at the finals.
Osimhen's inclusion in Chelle's initial squad had reflected the expectation that he could recover in time. The Nigeria Football Federation's announcement listed him alongside captain Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, and Moses Simon as one of the established players retained for the qualifiers. His absence will be a significant blow to the Super Eagles' chances in the qualifying matches.
The Super Eagles will look to secure a positive result against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau without their star striker. The team's performance in the qualifying series will be crucial in determining their chances of advancing to the 2027 AFCON finals.
Key points
- Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria's opening two 2027 AFCON qualifiers due to a muscle strain.
- Osimhen's recovery has taken longer than expected, and he will not be ready for Nigeria's matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
- Despite Osimhen's absence, the Super Eagles still have several attacking options in the squad.
