The Napoli forward will be a big miss for the three-time African champions if he fails to make it for the semifinal tie
Head coach Jose Peseiro has made his first comments about the potential unavailability of Victor Osimhen for Nigeria’s clash with South Africa, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles will lock horns with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the first semifinal of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.
There are indications that key man Osimhen could miss the game after he suffered some health complications in Abidjan at the weekend.
Osimhen was involved for almost 90 minutes as Nigeria secured a tough 1-0 win over Angola in the quarterfinals of the competition.
The Super Eagles left Abidjan on Monday night and landed safely in Bouake, where they will meet South Africa.
However, Osimhen was left behind in Abidjan because of a stomach complication.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Peseiro confirmed that Osimhen was battling with an unnamed ailment.
When asked if the striker would be available for the match against the Bafana Bafana, Peseiro responded, “I cannot say right now. This afternoon I can know better if he can play or not.
“The doctors will continue to work with him and confirm his fitness for the game later in the day.”
Should Osimhen fail to make it for the encounter, Peseiro can call on the talents of Kelechi Iheanacho, Terem Moffi, or Paul Onuachu, who can lead the line for the Super Eagles.
The Super Eagles will have their last training session before the semifinal clash at 7 pm on Tuesday.
This post was last modified on February 6, 2024 1:57 pm
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