Osimhen to miss AFCON qualifiers due to groin injury

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Nigeria’s forward #09 Victor Osimhen during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) quarter-final football match between Algeria and Nigeria at the Grand stadium in Marrakesh on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

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By Enitan Abdultawab

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Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been ruled out of Nigeria’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau due to a lingering groin injury.

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The 27-year-old forward was initially included in coach Eric Chelle’s squad for the international break, with hopes that he would recover in time to feature for Galatasaray before linking up with the national team.

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However, Super Eagles media officer, Promise Efoghe, confirmed on Sunday that Osimhen’s recovery had taken longer than expected.

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“Victor Osimhen’s recovery from a muscle strain has been slower than expected,” Efoghe said in a statement released on Sunday morning.

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According to the media officer, Galatasaray and the Super Eagles technical crew had initially expected the striker to regain full fitness in time for the club’s Turkish Super Lig fixture against Trabzonspor.

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His continued absence from Galatasaray’s matchday squad for Saturday’s fixture confirmed the club’s earlier communication to the Nigerian technical crew that he was still undergoing rehabilitation.

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Osimhen last featured for Galatasaray on September 5 against Istanbul Basaksehir but was forced off after 33 minutes after suffering discomfort around his left inner thigh.

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The Turkish club subsequently described the injury as an advanced moderate strain involving bleeding and strain in the right adductor muscle group.

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With Osimhen unavailable, Nigeria will begin its AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, on September 25.

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The Super Eagles will then travel to Guinea-Bissau to face the Wild Dogs four days later.

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Chelle’s side are also scheduled to face Russia in an international friendly at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on October 6.

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