Osimhen ruled out of Eagles’ AFCON qualifiers due to lingering injury

Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches due to a lingering groin injury.

In a statement released Sunday morning, Promise Efoghe, Super Eagles media officer, confirmed that the 27-year-old has not recovered in time for the international break.

Osimhen had initially been included in Eric Chelle’s squad with the expectation that he would shake off the setback ahead of Galatasaray’s Turkish Süper Lig fixture against Trabzonspor

Efoghe said Osimhen’s absence from Galatasaray’s matchday squad on Saturday confirmed earlier correspondence sent by the Turkish club to the Super Eagles technical crew, stating that the striker was still undergoing rehabilitation.

“Victor Osimhen’s recovery from a muscle strain has been slower than expected,” Efoghe said.

“He was included in Nigeria’s squad for the AFCON qualifiers because Galatasaray and Super Eagles technical crew were hopeful he would be fit for the Super Lig game versus Trabzonspor and ready for the international window.”

Osimhen last featured for Galatasaray on September 5 when he was substituted off in the 33rd minute against Istanbul Basaksehir F.K. on Friday. He left the pitch clutching his left inner thigh and was accompanied by club doctors.

In an update on the player’s condition, the Turkish club said the striker has suffered an “advanced-moderate level strain (bleeding and strain) in the right adductor (groin) muscle group”.

The Eagles will play their first two qualification matches for the next AFCON against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria will host Madagascar’s Barea at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, on September 25, before flying to Bissau to take on the Wild Dogs four days later.

The team will then head to the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium to play Russia in a friendly match on October 6.