Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been ruled out of Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers clash against South Africa on Tuesday after suffering an injury, Bold Sports reports.
Osimhen sustained a shin bruise during Nigeria’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rwanda on Saturday and was forced off in the 35th minute, making way for newly signed Panathinaikos striker Cyriel Dessers.
In an official statement released on Sunday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the development: “Team doctor confirmed Victor Osimhen’s injury is a bruise on his shin. He woke up this morning with discomfort and will not be traveling with the squad to South Africa for Tuesday’s game.”
With Osimhen sidelined, attention now shifts to Tolu Arokodare, who came off the bench in the second half against Rwanda to replace Frank Onyeka and delivered the decisive moment, scoring the lone goal that secured all three points for Nigeria.
More Read
The former Genk striker who joined Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer, is now expected to lead the line against the Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein.
The win over Rwanda lifted the Super Eagles to third place in their World Cup qualification group with 10 points, just one point behind Benin and six adrift of leaders South Africa. A victory on Tuesday at the Free State Toyota Stadium, is thus crucial to keep Nigeria’s World Cup hopes alive.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
