Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s opening two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after failing to recover in time from a right adductor muscle injury, dealing a fresh setback to Eric Chelle’s plans for the September international window.
The Super Eagles confirmed that the Galatasaray striker is unavailable for the matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, after his recovery from the muscle strain proved slower than initially expected.
Osimhen sustained the injury during Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over Istanbul Başakşehir on September 4, scoring before being forced off after 33 minutes. Galatasaray subsequently reported that medical examinations detected a strain in the right adductor muscle group and that treatment had begun.
Despite the injury, Osimhen was included in Chelle’s initial 24-man squad because both Galatasaray and Nigeria’s technical staff had hoped that he would recover sufficiently to return to competitive action before the international window. That expectation was not realised.
The 27-year-old subsequently missed Galatasaray’s Champions League fixture against Sporting CP and remained absent for Saturday’s league encounter against Trabzonspor. His absence from the Trabzonspor match effectively ended hopes of him being fit to join the Super Eagles for the September qualifiers.
Super Eagles media officer Promise Efoghe confirmed that the recovery had taken longer than expected, while the national team wished the striker a speedy recovery.
Osimhen’s withdrawal comes at the start of Nigeria’s campaign to qualify for the 2027 AFCON, with the Super Eagles facing Madagascar in Uyo on September 25 and Guinea-Bissau in Bissau four days later.
Chelle has responded to the setback by recalling Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi to replace Osimhen in the squad. The national team announced the change on Sunday, welcoming Awoniyi back to the Super Eagles setup.
Awoniyi’s return gives Nigeria another experienced option in the centre-forward position, while Chelle can also call on Akor Adams and Tolu Arokodare. Lookman, Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze provide further attacking alternatives.
Osimhen’s absence is also significant because Nigeria enter the qualifiers after reaching the semi-finals of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco. The Super Eagles will now begin their qualification campaign without one of their principal attacking players, although the squad retains several options in the forward line.
Nigeria are also scheduled to face Russia in an international friendly in Nizhny Novgorod on October 6, but the current Awoniyi replacement announcement relates specifically to the two September AFCON qualifiers.
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