Victor Osimhen injury: Galatasaray confirm extent of damage ahead of Nigeria vs South Africa

Galatasaray have provided more details regarding the injury Victor Osimhen sustained during Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday, Soccernet.ng reports.

The reigning Super Lig champions have confirmed that Victor Osimhen has suffered an ankle ligament damage.

In a medical bulletin released on Tuesday, Galatasaray’s team doctor Yener İnce revealed that scans at the club’s partner hospital showed ‘a moderate sprain (stretching and bleeding) was detected in his ankle ligaments and the necessary treatment has been initiated in order for our football player to return to the field as soon as possible.'

The 26-year-old striker limped off in the first half after a collision and did not recover in time to join Nigeria’s squad in Bloemfontein, where the Super Eagles face South Africa in a critical World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night.

A private jet sent by Galatasaray flew the former Napoli and Lille forward back to Turkey on Sunday shortly after his international teammates headed to South Africa. 

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The timing of Victor Osimhen’s injury could hardly be worse.

Osimhen has scored three goals in as many qualifiers but has now missed five games in the campaign, including key fixtures against Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Benin and South Africa.

Nigeria trail the Bafana Bafana by six points in Group C with only three matches left, and defeat in Bloemfontein would leave their chances of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup in jeopardy.

Even so, head coach Eric Chelle has urged calm, insisting the squad remains strong without its talisman.

“Osimhen is a big star, a very good player. Like I said, I have a strong squad too, with great players on my side. They are enough for me,” Chelle said.

“I will tell you something, they want to play a great game here once again, so we don’t have the time to say Victor is not here or maybe we cried in our rooms after his injury. We are together. We think about our brother, but we have a game, and we are united for tomorrow.”

Chelle will now turn to Cyriel Dessers, Tolu Arokodare, who scored the winner against Rwanda, and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman to lead the line.

Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray permanently this summer, had made a flying start in Turkey with two goals in his first two league appearances.

His absence will also be felt in Istanbul, where Gala return to Süper Lig action against Eyüpsor before travelling to Germany to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.