Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen and Trabzonspor forward Paul Onuachu might not play for Nigeria in the opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau later this month, The PUNCH reports.
Galatasaray announced on Sunday that Osimhen has a groin injury. Onuachu was taken off in the 44th minute after scoring two goals in Trabzonspor’s 5-0 victory over Gençlerbirliği.
Osimhen got injured during Galatasaray’s exciting 3-2 win over Istanbul Basaksehir. He scored the first goal but only played 33 minutes before he was substituted.
Onuachu was also said to have broken his chin during a tackle. Their injuries add to the list of worries for coach Eric Chelle as they prepare for the two matches.
Other players currently injured include Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Sadiq Umar, Tochukwu Nnadi, and Zaidu Sanusi, who all recently got hurt.
In an update on Sunday, Galatasaray said Osimhen and midfielder Mario Lemina have moderate to serious strains with bleeding in the right groin area.
“After completing MR and advanced tests at our sponsor Acıbadem Hospital, we found advanced-moderate level strain (bleeding and strain) in the right adductor (groin) muscle group of Victor Osimhen,” the club said on Sunday.
“Similarly, advanced-moderate level strain (bleeding and strain) has also been found in the right adductor muscle group of Mario Lemina, whose tests are also done, and their treatment is ongoing.”
This update puts Osimhen's participation in doubt ahead of Nigeria’s September matches. The Super Eagles will start their 2027 AFCON campaign against Madagascar on September 25 and then travel to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.
These matches are part of Group L, where Nigeria is grouped with Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and co-hosts Tanzania. Only the highest-ranked team apart from automatically qualified Tanzania will move on from the group.
If Osimhen misses these games, Nigeria will lose one of their key attacking players at the beginning of the tournament. His absence could also slow his rise on Nigeria’s all-time goalscoring list. The 27-year-old has netted 35 goals for the Super Eagles, just two behind the late Rashidi Yekini, who is the country’s all-time top scorer with 37 goals.
At the club level, Osimhen has scored six goals and provided two assists in four games this season.
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