Nigeria will be without Victor Osimhen for their opening Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures after the striker failed to recover from a groin problem.
The Galatasaray forward was left out of the club’s squad for Saturday’s Turkish Süper Lig game against Trabzonspor, effectively ending hopes of his recovery in time for Nigeria’s September international engagements.
Super Eagles media officer, Promise Efoghe, said the 27-year-old’s rehabilitation has taken longer than initially anticipated.
“Victor Osimhen’s recovery from a muscle strain has been slower than expected,” Efoghe said.
According to Efoghe, Osimhen had been selected by coach Eric Chelle because both Galatasaray and the national team’s technical crew expected him to regain fitness before the international window.
“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 sustained the injury during Galatasaray’s September 5 encounter with Istanbul Basaksehir F.K., leaving the game after 33 minutes while holding his left inner thigh.
Galatasaray subsequently disclosed that the forward had suffered an “advanced-moderate level strain (bleeding and strain) in the right adductor (groin) muscle group”.
The Eagles are scheduled to face Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 25 in their first AFCON qualifier.
Four days later, Nigeria will travel to Bissau for their second qualifying fixture against Guinea-Bissau.
The national team is also scheduled to face Russia in a friendly at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on October 6.
