Former Nigeria international, Mutiu Adepoju, has called on the Super Eagles to step up in Victor Osimhen’s absence. He believes the team has enough talent to perform well in their first matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
Osimhen will not play against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. He is still recovering from a muscle injury, leaving head coach Eric Chelle without one of his top strikers.
Adepoju knows how important Osimhen is to the team. But he insists that his absence should not change how Nigeria approaches the qualifiers.
“Unfortunately, Osimhen will not be available because everybody knows his quality and what he brings to the team,” Adepoju said.
“But Nigeria has other quality players who can do the job. His absence should not be an excuse.”
He believes this situation gives other players a chance to step up and help the team succeed. Taiwo Awoniyi has been brought back to replace Osimhen. Other attacking options include Tolu Arokodare, Akor Adams, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Samuel Chukwueze.
Adepoju also reminded the players about Nigeria’s recent disappointment. They failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He urged them to use the upcoming matches to win back the trust of their supporters.
“The players know what happened with the World Cup,” he said. “They have another opportunity now to make Nigerians proud by qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations.”
Nigeria will play Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, September 25. After that, they will travel to Bissau for the match against Guinea-Bissau on September 29.
With Osimhen out, Chelle needs to find a strong attacking mix as the Eagles start their journey toward qualification.
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