*Wishes Super Eagles best result against South Africa

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles who landed in Bloemfontein on Sunday afternoon ahead of Tuesday’s all important 2026 World Cup qualifier against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana are going to be without the services of top striker, Victor Osimhen.

The Galatasaray striker left the pitch after just 35 minutes during Saturday’s clash between Nigeria and Rwanda in Uyo that Super Eagles won with a Tolu Arokodare lone goal strike.

However, the good news is that Osimhen won’t be too long on the sideline even as his Turkish Super Lig side have insisted on conducting a comprehensive test to know the extent of the injury to the bruised shin.

Speaking with THISDAY yesterday, Osimhen, 26,  said that he didn’t continue the match against Rwanda to avoid aggravating the injury.

“It is not too bad (the Injury). I left the pitch so that it will not get worse. I will be back stronger. We move,” observed Osimhen who is 2023 African Player of the Year and also the first Nigerian to make the Top 10 of the Ballon d’Or award.

Despite not going to be involved physically as he would have wished, Osimhen is praying for good result for Nigeria in tomorrow’s must-win clash with Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein.

“Best wishes teammates. Go get the result!” observed the top marksman who last season emerged top scorer in just his first year in the Turkish Super Lig.

Super Eagles Media Officer, Promise Efoghe, had broken the news of Osimhen’s exclusion from the team’s trip to South Africa on Sunday morning.

“Team doctor (has) 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,” the media officer announced on the official WhatsApp group of the team on Sunday morning.

Osimhen’s absence is a major setback for Super Eagles who are chasing to win all remaining three games of the qualifying series, after falling behind South Africa, Rwanda and Benin Republic in the Group C log. The win over Rwanda at the weekend has however leapfrog Nigeria over the Amavubi but are still six points behind leaders Bafana Bafana. 

South Africa however risks losing three points for fielding an ineligible Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho last March. If that happens and Eagles get a win in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, they will then have their World Cup destinies in their hands ahead of the remaining two matches in October. They will also pray that other results favour Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Head Coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, has said the Super Eagles will be happy to win by the odd goal in Tuesday’s epic World Cup showdown against South Africa.

“If we win 1-0 in South Africa, we will be happy,” said Eric Chelle in his media briefing after the clash with Rwanda on Saturday night in Uyo.

“The most important thing is the three points.

“We are happy we beat Rwanda 1-0 because the target was to win the game.

“I am happy that we now have a second game in three days.”

The coach said his team created many chances, but they were not efficient in front of goal.

“We need to have more confidence in front of the goal, a have a killer instinct, because we created a lot of chances against Rwanda,” he admitted.

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