Nigerians have been anxiously awaiting updates on Victor Osimhen’s fitness, after news broke out yesterday evening that the striker is a doubt for the Super Eagles’ 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final clash against South Africa on Wednesday, due to “abdominal discomfort.”
Osimhen, who has been wholly involved in Nigeria’s past five matches at the ongoing AFCON, couldn’t travel with the rest of the team to Bouake, ahead of the clash with Bafana Bafana, as he’s staying behind.
“Members of the team travelled from Abidjan to Bouaké today via a 10 pm Air Côte d’Ivoire flight. Osimhen did not however make the trip as a result of abdominal discomfort,” a statement from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) reads.
“Team medics confirmed that he has been placed under close watch with a member of the medical team staying behind in Abidjan with him. If cleared by tomorrow morning, he will join the rest of the squad before 5 pm.”
Reports from Côte d’Ivoire indicate that the 2023 CAF African Player of the Year has been cleared to travel, which means attention shifts to the potential impact of his return to the squad, particularly for players like Paul Onuachu, who was believed to step up in his absence.
Onuachu’s advantage in Nigeria vs South Africa clash
Jose Peseiro called up four strikers in his 25-man list— Victor Osimhen, Paul Onauchu, Kelechi Iheanacho and Terem Moffi.
Out of these four strikers present in the Super Eagles’ camp, Paul Onauchu has been the only one to have featured in Côte d’Ivoire so far, aside from the ever-present Osimhen.
The 29-year-old got a late call-up as a late replacement for injured Sadiq Umar and has since become a substitute in four of Nigeria’s five matches, replacing Osimhen in three.
The ex-Genk star, who has so far scored three goals in 21 appearances for the three-time African champions, admitted the stiff competition for minutes in Jose Peseiro’s setup, while also revealing his desire to be featured more in games.
“I think it is really competitive in the national team now with my position,” Onuachu told The Nation.
“Maybe about two years ago or so, I thought maybe I should have gotten more time. For me, I thought I came in at a struggling time, at a time when people don’t really get to see the best of you.
“When you come in in the second half, the struggle and the pressure, that is there. But right now, I think we have lots of strikers. I’m not being judgmental here; Victor Osimhen is Africa’s best, and Victor Boniface and Taiwo Awoniyi are doing good.
“Of course, I am part of it. I have been doing well at my club, Trabzonspor, at the end of the day, it still comes to the coach to decide. All respect to the strikers. They are doing well, but at the end of the day, it comes to the coach to pick.
“For me, I am very happy and it is an honour to be on the 40-man list. At the end of the day, he chose the 25-man list, and he chose the best.”
While Oshimen is en route to Bouake to join the rest of the squad, there’s still a possibility of him missing tomorrow’s match if the final test flags him down. Should this happen, Onuachu’s 6ft7 towering presence might come in handy against Hugo Broos’s side that has only conceded once so far in Côte d’Ivoire 2023.
Onuachu, Moffi and Iheanacho’s club stats before AFCON
Before the trio left for AFCON 2023, Onauchu had scored nine goals and assisted three for Trabzonspor in 16 appearances, while Lorient’s Moffi has six goals and two assists to his name—the same as Iheanacho, although the Leicester City star has played three times (21 appearances) than Moffi who has played 18 times
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