The injury status of Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen ahead of the upcoming Bafana Bafana clash has been revealed, shedding light on his availability for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Osimhen was forced off during Nigeria’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda on Saturday due to injury. The Super Eagles secured a hard-fought, morale-boosting win in Uyo, putting their qualifying campaign back on track.
They now face Group C leaders South Africa at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. This is a game Nigeria must win at all costs to maintain their qualification hopes.
So far, the Super Eagles have won only two of their seven 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They also have four draws and one loss. A victory against Bafana Bafana would reduce the gap to just three points with two matches remaining.
Conversely, South Africa knows that a win would firmly put them in control of their destiny.
WHAT IS THE LATEST ON VICTOR OSIMHEN’S INJURY?
The West African nation faced a significant setback in its plans with the absence of Galatasaray striker Osimhen. The former Napoli forward has been ruled out of the upcoming match against South Africa.
Initially, there were concerns that he was dealing with an ankle injury. However, reports from the West African country indicate that Osimhen will not be travelling with the squad for the clash in South Africa. “He woke up with discomfort and will not be travelling with the squad to South Africa for Tuesday’s game,” the team’s media statement issued on Sunday reads.
He is set to return to his base in Turkey, where he will undergo medical tests to determine the severity of his injury.
The 26-year-old forward had only recently rejoined the national team after missing the Unity Cup victory in May and the 1-1 draw with Russia. Osimhen had a goal disallowed for offside before being forced off early on Saturday.
His absence is a significant blow for head coach Eric Chelle. The latter had hoped to rely on the striker’s firepower in the high-stakes encounter against high-riding Bafana. The talented forward has scored 26 goals in 40 outings for his national team.
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